(Clearwisdom.net) As audience members in Vancouver bid farewell to Shen Yun Performing Arts at their grand finale on Wednesday evening, they gave the artists a long standing ovation to show their enthusiasm and appreciation for an evening of cultural revival.
Ms. King, artistic director of a Vancouver theater company
Ms. King, the artistic director of a Vancouver theater company, was especially impressed by the dancers. "My sister made a comment, 'We haven't heard a single sound from feet on the stage.' It's as if they are dancing above the stage--we don't hear any sound of their feet. It is almost magical. It's beautiful!"
A veteran director of several theatrical performances, Ms. King has been the founder of two theater companies and has had a successful musical career that included a hit single. She has also appeared on television for a number of different networks, including BBC and ABC.
Because Ms. King trained as a ballet dancer, she appreciated the extraordinary grace of Chinese classical dance. "I love the way the girls seem to glide. I noticed the little girl, too, in the modern piece. The little girl already had the grace of the older girls. I think it's absolutely beautiful and quite remarkable, too."
Commenting on the entire production she said, "I think it is wonderful. I loved the dancing, I loved the music. I particularly liked the two-stringed violin [the erhu] -- I thought that was beautiful, absolutely beautiful."
Visual Artist: "Truth overcomes all things"
Also in attendance was Ms. Paymen, a music teacher, who said she enjoyed the "varied performances." She was impressed with the genuine energy the performers were able to express in each of their dances. "It was a very beautiful performance. We were really impressed by the innocence, the joyfulness ,and the lightness of the performers."
Ms. Paymen (fifth from L), a music teacher, came with nine other family members and friends to the show
She said she also appreciated the traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, a melodic two-stringed instrument known for its deeply soulful sound.
Ms. MacDonald, a visual artist who on Monday evening attended Shen Yun for the second time in two years, was so moved that she later wrote:
"I loved the show. It is opulent and lush, filled with wonderful colors, textures, sounds, and performances. The costumes are exquisite and the performers of the highest quality. The backdrops were exquisitely done and full of ingenuity. They brilliantly and beautifully conveyed what is extremely difficult to convey, going up to the heavens and the descent to earth, as well as how ascended masters convey to us their wisdom and are here with us.
"The show also showed the beauty of devotion and practice and how truth overcomes all things. There is so much that it will take days to savor all the images."
Shen Yun transcends just Chinese culture
After seeing Shen Yun for the first time, Mrs. Bowyer, an ontological coach and writer, and her son, Mr. Bowyer, were both surprised and delighted.
Mrs. Bowyer, an ontological coach and writer, and her son
"What I liked the most about the performance was the storytelling. It was so lovely. I think it's a very elegant way to tell the old stories, using the ancient Chinese dance, which I've never enjoyed before. It's very colorful. It's very elegant," said Mrs. Bowyer.
The show was a birthday gift for Mr. Bowyer, a financial planner, who was pleasantly surprised.
"[The show is] good, surprising, because we kind of walked in not knowing what to expect. We were not sure what it would be like, and it's very good. I mean, I've never been exposed to these stories at all, nor know anything about them. It's a very neat way for them to be told. It's very artistic."
He added, "The stories are very emotional. The one 'Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution' was very emotional."
"Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution" tells a tale common in modern China, where a father is persecuted for his belief in Falun Dafa. This ultimately uplifting tale demonstrates the long-held Chinese belief that good people are eventually rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.
Mrs. Bowyer said, "I think that's what we depend on artists to do--to give voice to the voiceless. And so we are hearing these stories and where else would we hear them? That's the essence of what artistry is."
She noted that cultural elements from other ethnicities may have their roots in China. "In the show that I am seeing, I see echoes of other cultures, which is surprising me, because I don't know anything about ancient Chinese dance. So it gives us an opportunity to follow the threads between our cultures. It transcends just Chinese culture and it speaks to a human story."
Source: http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15029/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15042/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15038/
Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts