Shen Yun continued its Australia tour in Sydney, performing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre from April 27. Audience members called it an enlightening experience.
“Every aspect of it was incredible, and learning about the rich culture as well, that was fantastic. It’s like being educated and entertaining at the same time,” said Stephanie Wyburn, professional dancer and model, on April 27.
Tim James, NSW member for Willoughby, said the New York-based performance was “food for the soul.”
Simran Gulati, an actress, said Shen Yun “awakened” her soul.
“What Shen Yun’s all about is the divine beauty beings, and celebrating it in the cultural form, and it’s just so beautiful,” she said on April 27.
Jack Bulfin, CEO of ADH TV, one of Australia’s leading media companies, said he was touched by Shen Yun’s efforts to revive traditional values, after watching the performance on April 30.
“Morals and universal values are very important because they underpin civilizations and society. Without having those fundamental values, society degrades, and I think that that was one of the key themes in the Shen Yun performance. That in the absence of values and particularly the values that were sort of espoused through the performance of particularly of truth, I thought that’s quite important,” Mr. Bulfin said.
Ancient Chinese people believed their culture was a gift from the divine, and that music, medicine, calligraphy, language, clothing, and much more were brought down from the heavens.
In the past, artists who sought inspiration from the heavens would cultivate goodness, meditate, and seek moral virtue.
According to the company’s website, Shen Yun’s artists also follow this tradition.
Paul Fletcher, who holds the portfolio for Shadow Minister for Science & the Arts, and Shadow Minister for Government Services & the Digital Economy, said that the idea of having divinely inspired cultures is present in all great religious traditions.
“And of course that is present in all great religious traditions, the idea that we are here in this physical world but there is another world beyond that,” Mr. Fletcher said on April 27.
“And it does seem rather unfortunate that that’s something that cannot be seen by people in China today.”
Jason Arraj, principal lawyer and founder of Forward Legal, said he enjoyed the presentation of authentic Chinese culture.
“I think anywhere you can show off your culture, show off your history, tell a story, show the journey, the path that’s been the past and leading into the future, it needs to be told. And I think it’s wonderful that they’re celebrating that and taking it as many places around the world,” Mr. Arraj said on April 28.
Philip Anderson, a former Royal Australian Navy band director, said it was good to see “Chinese culture that most Australians don’t get to see,” after watching Shen Yun on April 29.
Audience members were also amazed by the athleticism displayed by Shen Yun dancers.
Retired ballet dancer, Tanya Watkinson, said that dance has a long history of trying to show humanity the beauty of the divine and life.
“Anything that looks so easy I know is made from a great deal of hard work, but I also know it has to come from an inner stillness and a great deal of dynamic force within the body to be able to do that and make it look so graceful and easy. It’s not something that comes from sheer brute strength but from an inner quality,” Mrs. Watkinson said on April 29.
Ms. Wyburn said: “I found that there was a lot of upper body emphasis and a lot of intricate hands. Just the movements were very smooth, and the athleticism, the flexibility and the stamina, it was awesome.”
Sandra Duarte, who is CEO of Sandra Duarte Consulting Board and part of the board of directors with Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce, said Shen Yun was “spectacular to watch.”
“[Shen Yun] really took us back and it was very, very entertaining,” Mrs. Duarte said.
Mr. Bulfin said: “It’s an unbelievable visual performance, and it’s an unbelievable auditory performance, and that you can come just to enjoy that but the sort of message behind it, that’s worth listening to in any case.”
Shen Yun will conclude its Australia tour in Sydney on May 7.
NTD News, Sydney, Australia
