Shen Yun Performing Arts took Vancouver theatergoers on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture at Queen Elizabeth Theatre from March 23 to 25. Audience members called Shen Yun a “feast for the eyes.”
“Absolutely flawless performance,” said Adam Pappin, an attorney at Pappin Law. “Down to the toes, the fingers, all coordinated—everything was flawless. The orchestra was beautiful. The music was beautiful. And it was an absolute feast for the eyes.”
Beyond the beauty of traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun also shares the spiritual essence and values of this ancient heritage through its depiction of stories ranging from ancient legends to the modern day.
“Many of the background stories are classical historical Chinese stories. That’s why a lot of people in mainstream Canadian society are actually very curious and emotional [upon seeing the show],” said Lihsin Liu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver.
The performance also shines light on topics surrounding the ongoing persecution of faith groups by communist China.
“We hope that in the future, China will allow and tolerate various religious beliefs. I think Shen Yun also has hope for the spirit of freedom and democracy,” Ms. Liu added.
“It’s beautiful to see people’s spiritual stories from different perspectives, I think, [when] finding a tradition that resonates with you and trying to connect with that tradition and goodness, beauty, truth,” said Leah Burley, owner and CEO of Warmland Dance.
“The storytelling and the connection between the dancers and the audience, you can tell that obviously they trained so hard, but it looks so phenomenally easy on stage. And the connections they make, and just the amount of joy they can share with the audience—it’s phenomenal to watch,” said Jenna Gorchynski, an actor with HectiQ Artists.
“Connecting back to spirituality, two souls connecting, or being in a different realm with somebody or a connection beyond the physical—I definitely think it highlighted that point,” Ms. Gorchynski added.
“I really want to learn more about the spiritual part, because I think there’s so much to learn from Chinese culture. And I think this is so fantastic that they bring this kind of performance here to Vancouver,” said Ana Peralta, an artist.
Shen Yun will next perform 10 shows at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Canada, from March 30 to April 7.
From NTD News, Vancouver, Canada
