Theatergoers in Australia’s capital city, Canberra, got a glimpse into China’s divinely inspired culture this week, after Shen Yun Performing Arts gave two performances at the Canberra Theater on March 5 and 6. Audience members were struck by the beauty of the performance.
“I thought it was a fantastic performance, a great show of creativity and beauty to express story,” said Joshua Rowe, the NSW/ACT state director for the Australian Christian Lobby.
“I think I’m receiving a history lesson at the same time as being matched with music, it’s fantastic,” said Steven McKillop, a stockbroker at Ord Minnett.
“I just absolutely adored the graphics and how clever that was, that the dancers stepped off the back of the stage and then they’re on the screen, and all the color and the beauty,” said Lee J. Collier, award-winning singer & songwriter.
Canberra-based singer and songwriter Lee J. Collier said she thoroughly enjoyed the New York based-Shen Yun performance.
“I actually cried all the way through, from the emotion and the connection from the performers on stage, to the people in the audience … So to have a performance by this dance troupe and to be able to provide people with the message of what is going on, but in such a creative artistic way is so powerful, so powerful,” said Mrs. Collier.
Shen Yun showcases traditional Chinese culture through music and dance, and a range of storylines and techniques that were almost lost under communist rule.
Members of the Tibetan community were also among the theatergoers, and resonated with communism’s destruction of culture.
“We are also facing repression under the Chinese rule and our culture, language, tradition all are diminishing under the Chinese Communist Party rule and this type of old tradition which are more than a thousand years old, should be observed and it should be preserved,” said Lhawang Gyalpo, executive secretary for the Tibetan Information Office.
Some theatergoers took away an understanding of the universal values rooted in traditional Chinese culture, shown during the performance.
“It’s using that creative medium to also highlight values of the culture and virtues of the culture. Things like discipline, humility, faithful devotion to one’s spouse, and I think those are all really beautiful values that Australian societies also had in the past and we’ve lost touch with a bit. So I thought this was really important for the Australian community to see something like this tonight,” said Mr. Rowe.
“It’s a great message of hope and that there is more to life, the spiritual aspects of life. It’s a great positive message that when we live for things that are bigger than ourselves, that we can be inspired to see the beauty and the courage in life,” said Paul Garai, an operations manager for the Royal Australian Navy.
“The whole thing was just absolutely 5 star, 10 star, 1000 star, a million star, so if you haven’t seen it, then you need to get out and see it,” said Mrs. Collier.
“I would love to go directly to the dancers, to the people here, on the stage to say thank you. Thank you from my heart,” said Ai Van Tenty, a former ballet dancer.
Shen Yun continues its Australia tour in Sydney and Perth.
NTD News, Canberra, Australia
