"It Just Blew Us Away" - Classically Trained Dancer on Shen Yun in Houston

The DeMonico’s are highly active in the arts. A classically trained dancer, an actor and director, and their young son: Vincent. On Friday night they saw Shen Yun Performing Arts in Houston, Texas.

[Elizabeth DeMonico, Classically Trained Dancer and Choreographer]:
“They just look like they are floating across the stage, when they heel-toe across the stage with their feet. But they still have the beautiful point that a ballet dancer has and the extension is amazing.”

Chinese classical dance is one of the oldest art forms in the world.

[Elizabeth DeMonico, Classically Trained Dancer and Choreographer]:
“It just blew us away, we really loved it.”

[Joseph DeMonico, Performing Arts Department Chair]:
“The articulation of the hands and the feet. Tremendous articulation and precision with which they moved together. But then it was never very stiff, it was always very graceful.”

[Vincent DeMonico, Audience Member]:
“All I have to say is that it was awesome. And there had to be a lot of talent for this.”

Shen Yun combines Chinese classical dance, a live orchestra and digital backdrops.

[Joseph DeMonico, Performing Arts Department Chair]:
“I saw a lot of things that I thought, ‘Wow, I would love to be able to do that in the theater.’ It was very successful, very successful.”

The Masters of Ceremonies explain each performance—in two languages.

[Elizabeth DeMonico, Classically Trained Dancer and Choreographer]:
“And plus to hear the Chinese language spoken—she was beautiful, the women that spoke, and she sounded so soft and pretty.”

Mr. DeMonico affirmed the importance of culture in societies.

[Joseph DeMonico, Performing Arts Department Chair]:
“It made me learn a lot. It made me question a lot of things, and made me want to learn more about what’s going on in China today. I’m very very fascinated. As an American we hear so much about economy, we don’t hear so much about culture. And there is what’s lost. Economies are important, but when it comes at the cost of culture, nothing’s that important.”

NTD News, Houston