Shen Yun Performing Arts is launching the 2013 season in Buenos Aires tonight with the first of eight shows at the prestigious Teatro Ópera Citi.

“This is the first year that our first stop is in South America,” said Tia Zhang, manager of Shen Yun International Company. “One of our other three companies has been here before, but this is our group’s first time performing here, so everyone’s very excited.”

After a flight from New York, the company landed in Buenos Aires Sunday, its arrival was immediately reported in Argentina’s major papers Clarin and La Nación.

“Buenos Aires apparently means good air,” said Shen Yun Principal Dancer Jason Zhu. “But it’s not just the air—the food, the weather, the people—we should call this place ‘Buenos everything’.”

Principal Dancer Alison Chen is looking forward to communicating directly with Argentinians. “The last few days, locals have been eyeing us questioningly,” she said. “It seems like it's not every day that you see such a big group of Asians walking around Buenos Aires.”

“If only I could speak Spanish! I hope more Argentinians can come see our show, because what we can’t put in words, we can show through our music and dance."