(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts gave the second of two performances at Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts in Jacksonville, Florida on January 31.
Mayor Stan Totman, Mayor of the City of Baldwin and President of the Northeast Florida League of Cities, was in attendance and loved the pageantry and cultural experienced. For most people in North Florida, the only chance they get to enjoy Chinese culture is when they visit Disney World or the Epcot. "It's wonderful for us to have this opportunity to enjoy this. It's like a great meal, ... it's all simplicity and it's beautiful. But when it's all put together, it's wonderful. I think Leonardo da Vinci said it best. He said, 'Simplicity is the best sophistication' and it's all sophisticated and beautiful and it's wonderful for the people of North Florida.
Mayor Totman continued, "[China] has such a long, long, long history of beauty and country and people. The storytelling is wonderful, because that gives us a chance to enjoy every part of it." Just as many before him, he recommended that "Everybody should [see the Shen Yun performance]. Everybody, in all parts of the country should. It's enjoyable, it's wonderful, and it moves along so fast and entertaining, you hardly think that hours have gone by."
When Mayor Totam learned that Shen Yun was going to travel to Hong Kong for a seven-day stop, but that at the last moment the local government refused to give some of the key staff members visas, he commented, "Sometimes people like to control things... Maybe it's just not understanding - but there's no reason for not [allowing] dance and culture."
He felt that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy Shen Yun. "This is people, and it's heritage, and it's culture, and that shouldn't have any boundaries. People should be able to enjoy art and culture and heritage no matter where you live in the world. Not just [in some] parts of the world. Culture should be able to go anywhere in the world. Culture shouldn't have boundaries. This is not politics. It's people and culture and dance and that should be separate than politics. Unfortunately, sometimes it's not, but it should be."
Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts
