(Clearwisdom.net) Marilyn Brick, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for St. Norbert, Manitoba, attended Shen Yun's April 7th show at the Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg, Canada.
"It's the first time I've seen such a beautiful show. It's amazing. And the performers ... the level of performance--it's beautiful," the local politician said.
She said the two sketches that highlighted the current oppression of Falun Gong in China, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path and Astounding Conviction, were very moving.
"I had the shivers when I saw that piece they did on the persecution. You just feel the shivers come all over you when you thought about people who are being persecuted in China and all for their beliefs and I really give them credit, and my best wishes go to them."
Messages threaded throughout the show reflect the traditions and values people lived by in China before the advent of communist rule. Ms. Brick said the messages were "very good and made me think."
"I would encourage [everyone] to come and see it because it is a really unique experience--something you're not necessarily going to have the opportunity to see again very soon. I would very much encourage people to come and see the show."
"I think that that's important to be able to have China also sponsor this and be able to present it as well. I would encourage them to consider that--I really would. It's beautiful, it really is beautiful--it's been a real treat to be here to see it."
Marilyn Brick, MLA for St. Norbert.
MLA Christine Melnick: "I thought it was beautifully delivered"
Manitoba Member of the Legislative Assembly Christine Melnick also had high praise for Shen Yun.
"I really enjoyed it. I thought it was just lovely, quite exquisite and eloquent," she said.
"Everything was really lovely, and the way that the performing arts can deliver messages, sometimes overtly, sometimes they were more subtle, but strong," said Ms. Melnick.
New York-based Shen Yun brings China's ancient legends, folklore, and modern stories to life through music and dance. Two performances depict the persecution in China of Falun Dafa. Ms. Melnick felt that Shen Yun was conveying a message of human rights and freedom of speech.
"They're talking about struggles that they have endured, perhaps not individually, but as a people, and are wanting to express the desire to have the freedom we do enjoy in places like Winnipeg and in Canada," she said.
"I thought it was beautifully delivered, it wasn't heavily delivered--so there was a nice blend."
Ms. Melnick has traveled to China twice, and is aware of the persecution of Falun Gong. The practice was outlawed by China's communist regime in 1999.
"I thought this is amazing that they are doing this ... This sort of show couldn't happen in China today, which is unfortunate," she said. "There was also a celebration in maintaining the culture, even if it's not in China."
Ms. Melnick was elected MLA for Riel in 2003 and in 2006 was Minister of Water Stewardship. She has long been active in women's health, human rights, literacy, and environmental issues.
Manitoba Member of the Legislative Assembly Christine Melnick.
"Dramatic and very well done," Says Winnipeg UNIFEM President
Shen Yun Performing Arts brought art and awareness together at its first-ever Winnipeg show at Centennial Concert Hall on Wednesday night.
"It's wonderful," said Mary Scott, president of the Winnipeg chapter of UNIFEM (United Nation Development Fund for Women). UNIFEM works to advance women's rights and gender equality.
"It's the first time I've seen anything like this. This was quite unique."
Scott said the two numbers dealing with the persecution of Falun Dafa in China showed that bringing suffering to good people doesn't come without its own price, a reflection of a fundamental belief in traditional China that both good and evil have consequences.
In one of those pieces, a lone man stands on Tiananmen Square with a banner proclaiming "Falun Dafa is Good." After he is attacked and injured by policemen, his astounding conviction inspires divine beings to come to his aid.
"There is this kind of showing of the light that in spite of this violence towards the individuals, there is some hope that afterwards there is going to be good. So that's what the recurring theme seems to be--that there is some hope and that goodness will prevail in one form or another, whether it's in an after-life or [the present time]."
She said using art to convey these ideas and realities was a very good way share them.
Mary Scott attended the Wednesday evening Shen Yun show at Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg.
Professor: "It's important for people to be aware"
Janice Ristock was highly impressed by the Shen Yun Performing Arts show she attended at Winnipeg's Centennial Concert Hall on Thursday night, April 8.
"I thought it was amazing. I thought the dancers showed such grace and beauty and athleticism" said Dr. Ristock, Associate Vice-President (Research) at the University of Manitoba.
"I also found the dances very moving and in particular to hear how some people are persecuted because of their practice in Falun Gong."
Dr. Ristock was talking about one of the dances, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, which depicts the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
"That dance in particular was very moving and it just brings forward the fact that this has been going on historically but still happening now and it's important for people to be aware of that and to be very concerned that that happens," said Dr. Ristock.
"I think the message showed that people are being wrongly persecuted and attacked for something that they should have the right to practice, and that people need to be aware of human rights injustices happening and that there should be global awareness, concern, and intervention," she said.
Dr. Ristock is Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology and the Disability Studies Program. Dr. Ristock has also received numerous awards, including an Rh Award for Outstanding Contributions to Interdisciplinary Research and an Outreach Award from the University of Manitoba.
Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33028/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33034/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33026/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33054/
Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts
