WESTCHESTER, N.Y.—Following a performance of music and classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun Performing Arts finished its first of two shows in Westchester, New York with standing ovations.

The performance, held at The Performing Arts Center at SUNY Purchase on Aug. 22, brought to life stories and dances inspired by China’s 5,000 years of culture.

Jagdish Sidana, director of the Indianica Academy, was among those in the audience. He came to see Shen Yun with his family and having worked on several award-winning Bollywood films over his nearly 40 years in the movie industry, Mr. Sidana said seeing Shen Yun brought him new inspiration.

“I learned so much can be expressed through such simplicity, aesthetically and beautifully. That was the impression I got,” he said. “They didn’t have complications in the movements, no jumbling up. All straight and simple, but yet so appealing to the eye ... such aesthetics.”

Shen Yun brings the virtues of China’s ancient culture to life through dance and music carrying a belief that inner beauty and purity of each performer reflects through their art.

Mr. Sidana said that in life, one of the most difficult things a person can do is to be a good person “although you want to,” yet Shen Yun has demonstrated the simplicity of goodness, he added.

“This is what they have shown me in this show,” Mr. Sidana said. “They simply [show] you can say beautiful things, and you can convey to the world; about world peace and coexistence, and love for each other and family. How beautifully you can see and express that.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts includes dance pieces portraying stories and legends, as well as the diverse cultures from China’s various dynasties and ethnic groups.

Chinese dance has two main categories—ethnic and folk dance in one, and classical Chinese dance in the other. The performers in Shen Yun are trained in both categories, although the classical style is the primary form they take. The forms allow for broad expressions and movements which are believed to carry the essence of Chinese cultural expressions.

Mr. Sidana’s wife, former Bollywood actress Padma Sidana said after seeing the show she was “speechless.”

“It’s so good ... The performers are amazing, they have such nice grace, expression, everything. Very nice coordination. Beautiful,” Mrs. Sidana said.

His son, Akshar Sidana, an actor, stage performer, and choreographer, said the expressions shown by the dancers in Shen Yun were “amazing,” adding that the performance transcends language barriers.

“With the way the dancers perform, using props, or using body language, the way the emotion is portrayed is very true to what the emotion would be felt as a dancer—what would be felt to me as a dancer,” Akshar Sidana said.

He added, “So even as an audience member, it again transcends the barrier of just being an art form and comes to life as a story. It’s not only dance, but it’s emotion that is being expressed via dance.”

His sister, actress, dancer, and choreographer Neha Sidana said she felt Shen Yun carried a message that “leaves an impression on your mind."

“It was very fabulous, very mesmerizing. It told a story, from beginning to end, it followed through with it. It was very eye opening to a lot of different things another culture brings to us,” Neha Sidana said. “It was really gracefully presented, very elegant.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts will return again for one show only on Sunday, September 12, at 7.00pm. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Original article: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/41393/