Shen Yun gave two performances in Hamilton, Canada, from March 21 to 22. Audiences called it inspiring.
Lyse Moreau, the president of International Sew Right, saw Shen Yun for her second time: “I love it. I love the performers. I love what you stand for. And I’m impressed with the music, the performance, the drive, the ambition, and the exuberance that they display. It’s impressive. It’s heartwarming, it’s inspiring.”
“I don’t know how they did this, like three dimensions,” said Nada El Masriya, the artistic director of Egyptian Dance Academy. “How are they doing the three dimensions of the warriors and the dancers coming in and out of the screen. And, having that CG or whatever, I didn’t know how, it’s fantastic. It’s timed to the tee. The composition is exquisite. The directing is phenomenal. I’m just struck, really inspired.”
“Eye-opening, very eye-opening,” said ballet dancer Sue Dolynski, the owner of Dance Designs Dance Studio. “I was just absolutely involved in, engulfed in the whole thing. It was just beautiful.”
“It was a surprise. It was colorful, it was action-packed. It was beautiful. It was serene at times, too,” said Theresa Villard, the owner of Geo Morphix Ltd.
“Oh, the musicians were wonderful. I really appreciated the the blend of the Eastern–West instruments, and how they blend together to make a beautiful sound. So it was very unique, very unique experience,” said Marcus Scholtes, a co-artistic director and the conductor of the Toronto Concert Orchestra.
As an orchestra conductor, audience member Marcus Scholtes said he was fascinated by a Chinese instrument called the Erhu.
“Well, I love the sound of the Erhu, It’s so unique and so beautiful. And so to hear it accompanied by the full orchestra, it’s a quite an experience to hear it live,” Mr. Scholtes said. “It’s sentimental, it’s beautiful. It’s romantic. It’s sad. It’s yeah, all the emotions in that one instrument. It’s really amazing.”
Shen Yun artists perform world-class classical Chinese dance coupled with a live orchestra. Many took note of their skills.
“The choreography is just again, I said it’s just unbelievable. Outstanding, outstanding. That’s all I can say. I said I cried quite a few times,” Ms. Dolynski said.
“I think it’s phenomenal. They are in sync, they are brilliant. Their feeling is amazing. It makes you … it just catches all your heart, body, and soul. Everything is exquisite,” Ms. El Masriya said.
Shen Yun portrays 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, said to be divinely inspired. Some theatergoers said they felt connected to the performance and its message.
“I really liked that, especially in the beginning. It leads you through this beautiful spirit. And you sort of feel connected and inspired and there. And I liked that feeling. Because we here in the West, we don’t get a lot of spiritual aspects. So I will feel that this is very highly spiritual,” Ms. El Masriya said.
“The tradition creates an inner strength, that it doesn’t matter what life gives you, you’ve got something stronger to hang on to. And that’s what keeps you going and gets you through the tough and the hard times it creates an inner strength,” Ms. Moreau said.
“I can see how that you know if they could get back to that culture, get over the communism, and move on that. There’s great potential even in in China today,” said Phil Hounsome, who is the CEO of EcoRefinishers.
“It’s so important now to have traditions and family and just staying together, and it’s so important. I’ve never learned so much in my life,” Ms. Dolynski said. “I would tell anybody that if you haven’t seen it, you have to go see it. And truly, you have to see it because it’s more than what you think it’s going to be.”
“I think it’s very relevant to remember that, some of the core values. They get forgotten in such a busy world. It was a very good reminder, it makes you pause and it makes you think and it makes you reflect watching a performance like this,” Ms. Villard said. “I would highly recommend that people come in person, you’ll get a lot out of the message, the performance, the music. It has it all.”
Shen Yun is now performing in Mississauga, ahead of its last stop in Canada in Toronto.
NTD News, Hamilton, Canada
