NEWARK, N.J.—Investment banker John Tesoriero and his friend Nicole Contreres, a student massage therapist, celebrated her birthday together by attending Shen Yun’s evening performance at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on April 27.
“I thought it was wonderful. We sat and enjoyed the show, it was absolutely wonderful,” he said.
She loved “the beautiful aesthetics, the colorfulness, the dresses, the modesty, and the morals of the event.”
“I’ve been to China several times, and I’m the adopted father of two beautiful Chinese daughters. So, it means a lot to me and I’ve got a little memento,” he said.
Through classical Chinese, folk, ethnic, and story-based dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun is showcasing to the world—the glory of China before communism.
“The music, the precision of their movements, and how they hold their bodies in control—when they flip and land perfectly it doesn’t even look like a hair moved. It’s just amazing,” Mr. Tesoriero expressed.
“The dedication that must go into performing like that and to do it every night—it’s remarkable.”
Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance. Dating back thousands of years, it is one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world.
According to the company’s website, the classical Chinese dance we see in China today is heavily mixed with military and modern dance styles. Only at Shen Yun can you find it performed in its purest form—the way it was originally passed down through the generations.
Mr. Tesoriero appreciated the values that the performers stood for and would like to commend them for their efforts in reviving traditional culture.
“I’m always impressed by anyone who can put in the time, dedication, loyalty, integrity, and ethics to work hard to master something. The performers on stage—how long could it have possibly taken them to learn this? 10 years, 20 years, a lifetime? They’re young people; they’ve put so much time and effort and motivation [into it,] and they’ve chosen the right path,” he said.
“There are bad choices out there—there are drugs, there are crimes, and there are organized crimes not far from here, but this area is being revitalized by people who are making the choice to do good and change the world. It takes one person at a time.”
Mr. Tesoriero highly recommends everyone to attend Shen Yun. For him, the tickets were “well worth it.”
“If anyone wants to come, tell them to come,” he said.
