Shen Yun Performing Arts brought two classical Chinese performances of dance and music to Nantes, France on Feb. 21–22.
“Exceptional. The themes are extremely varied,” said Jean-Paul Vallin, who is the president of AYUDO. “The choreography is impeccable. I have rarely seen such synchronization. The dancers are at the top level. It’s a delight for the ears, for the eyes, and it’s a pleasure to bring your wife to this kind of performance.”
“It’s just impressive, it’s beautiful, and there are a lot of colors, a lot of costumes. The movements of the dancers are incredible. I’ve seen a lot of ballet but this is just another world. It inspires us to look at Chinese culture again and again, and it’s really interesting,” said Ruslan Galimov, who is the head of Strategy and Market Intelligence at Principle Power.
“The artistic level is excellent. And it’s interesting in the sense that it mixes both traditional dance and high technology. That is to say that on the stage, we see artists who express themselves. Their body expression is quite interesting and very, very powerful,” said Colonel Jean-Michel Happe.
“Lightness, generosity, everything is there. There is grace. Everything is in sync with the music, the colors,” said dancer and choreographer Virginie Viccaro.
She said the skills of Shen Yun’s artists are unmatched. “It’s incomparable, really. It’s another way of understanding gesture and movement. It’s very ethereal, and each culture and each tradition leads its body to where it is.”
Theatergoers also commented on the spiritual aspect of the performance.
“In this performance, I find the spiritual side very important. And the notion of compassion, of presence, finally all the beautiful values which are very useful currently, in a society which is a little lost,” said Dr. Annick Bohan, who is a retired director of Obstetrics Gynecology.
“I think it’s quite strong to have these representations in the backgrounds, which bring us back to what is beyond us and that we don’t see so often in classical shows. So it’s a reminder of the connection,” she added.
“There is a reference to the Creator, which is quite surprising because we thought that the Chinese were really very pragmatic and detached from spirituality. And we realize that, in fact, it has remained in popular culture,” said Christophe de Gouttes, who is a Lieutenant General (Ret.) in the French Army.
“It opens up spirituality, it also opens up—it gives a little bit of dimension to art because there is a need to get back in touch with art, whether it’s painting, dance, or singing, music, etc,” Happe said.
Many said Shen Yun gave them hope.
“It gives back a bit of energy or hope in a world where we are always in a hurry,” he said.
“This show can [help] us to keep the dream of always carrying the hope and the message of love,” Viccaro said.
“It is very important to present this message through a show which is universal, and which is represented in many different nations, whatever the culture,” Bohan said.
“This is a show of peace, spirituality, and health. I think it’s a link between people. All people like to laugh, like to dance, like music, and it’s a manifestation of peace, so it’s a must see, which is very well done,” Vallin said.
“I feel fullness, I feel a great happiness in me. This show is incredibly rich in the sense that it is of quality,” said Pascal Guégan, who is the chief executive officer of ACTALARM.
Shen Yun will return to Nantes in April.
NTD News, Nantes, France.
