Shen Yun brings Chinese tales to Ogden stage

Shen Yun Performing Arts, a dance and music company based in New York, brings to the stage traditional Chinese folk tales, legends and culture that existed before communism.

The Arts and Divine Culture Association of Utah is bringing Shen Yun to Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden for a three-night run, beginning March 16.

"Several of us had gone to see the show in New York in 2006, and we were amazed," said Robin Kemker, the association's president.

"The production's advertising says it's 'the show leaving millions in awe.' And I need to say that when I was leaving the venue, a reporter wanted to talk to me, and I was awestruck and didn't have a clue what to say."

The production revives cultural stories that reach back 5,000 years, said Kemker. And it includes the real legend of "Mulan," which was embellished in the 1998 animated Disney film.

The real version doesn't feature a wise-cracking dragon or a feisty cricket, but the Shen Yun production contains similar themes, albeit with deeper themes, Kemker said.

"You see the true story about Mulan, where an old man has a moral obligation to join the army if his country is endangered," he said. "He has no sons. His servants can't represent him. And the family is made up of only him and his daughter. And she says, 'I'll step in.' "

It's a story that is all about love for family and love for country. "I'm sure we have thousands of those types of stories in our own history from servicemen and servicewomen who have gone to war. And so the (concept in Mulan) speaks to people even in this country," he said.

"I think the show gives us the sense of the richness of the culture in China and reminds us that we have similar roots. Every person on this planet does. It's not just limited to a country. It's something that we should all hold dear."

Kemker said he found there are more than 56 different cultures in China.

"Add that to 5,000 years, and you can see how potentially rich the history is," he said.

Apparently, a fair amount of the true Chinese history has been preserved, despite what is known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution between 1966 and1976 that was an attempt to eradicate the culture and arts of China.

"Shen Yun has created a renaissance that embraces China's traditional culture from before," he said. "Through my studies, I have found the traditional culture was meant to create an environment where people could come together and become a good society."

Kemker said this is the first show produced by the Arts and Divine Culture Association of Utah.