Shen Yun Brings Divinely-inspired Culture to Brazil’s São Paulo and Curitiba: “What We Need Right Now”


(Minghui.org) After concluding their performances in Sevilla, Spain, the Shen Yun New York Company traveled to Brazil and presented ten performances in the cities of São Paulo and Curitiba from March 17–25, 2023.

Shen Yun New York Company arrived at the São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil on March 14. They were warmly welcomed by fans with cheers, flowers, and balloons that read, “Welcome Shen Yun.” (The Epoch Times)

 

Principal dancer Michelle Lian said, “I want to bring our eastern enthusiasm to the warm Brazilian audiences. I hope the Brazilian audiences will like our performances.”

Michelle Lian, principal dancer with the Shen Yun New York Company (The Epoch Times)

 

“I’m guessing Brazilian audiences will like [Shen Yun] very much,” said Jared Madsen, an emcee with Shen Yun. He said that he met two Brazilians on the plane and introduced Shen Yun to them: “They thought this was so great and said they would definitely come see it this weekend!”

Jared Madsen, emcee with Shen Yun (The Epoch Times)

 

Daniela Hohl was one of the fans that welcomed Shen Yun at the airport. She spoke emotionally at the interview and even choked up once. “We’re very happy that Shen Yun came. I’m very emotional. In the chaotic world nowadays, it is very important and necessary that Shen Yun bring this kind of divinely-inspired culture to Brazil. The divinely-inspired culture of China’s five-thousand-year history is incredible,” Ms. Hohl said.

Shen Yun New York Company at the packed house at the Bradesco Theatre in São Paulo on the afternoon of March 18. The company presented seven performances in São Paulo March 17–22. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New York Company at the packed house at the Guaíra Theatre in Curitiba on March 25. The company presented three performances in Curitiba March 24–25. (The Epoch Times)

 

“Brought Brazil a Great Amount of Wealth”

Estela Endlich, director of Department of Education of Curitiba City, saw Shen Yun with her coworkers Margareth Calds Fuchs and Guilherme Sell in Curitiba on March 24.

“This excellent performance brought beautiful traditional culture to this land of ours and brought rich cultural treasure to Brazil. Thank you Shen Yun for bringing traditional Chinese culture through this artistic form,” Ms. Endlich said.

“Shen Yun’s excellent performance and the spirit, strength, exquisiteness, fluidity, and the outstanding techniques were touching and astonishing.

“What touched me the most was those histories, because your traditions are very different from Brazil’s. It’s very fresh and beautiful to us. This kind of profound ancient culture that you’ve brought will help Brazil develop and also enrich our culture. [Shen Yun] brought Brazil a great amount of wealth.

“Watching Shen Yun makes one feel content and happy,” she said.

Estela Endlich (centre), director of Department of Education of Curitiba City, and her coworkers Margareth Calds Fuchs (left) and Guilherme Sell (right) at the Shen Yun performance in Curitiba on March 24 (The Epoch Times)

 

“It Was Very Emotional to Me”

Renata Barretto saw Shen Yun in São Paulo on March 19. Ms. Barretto saw in the performance traditional culture and universal values like compassion and forbearance.

“You know, I think it’s courageous to see that… [The Chinese Communist Party] is still persecuting things like this, because it’s just about love and partnership, fraternity,” Ms. Barretto said.

“And it should be that everybody should be able [to have] free speech, and to believe in whatever they want and not be persecuted,” she said.

Ms. Barretto saw both tragedy and hope. “It was a good outcome in the story. But we know that maybe for some of the people there, it’s not happening, that they are suffering, so we should do something,” she said.

She felt the world needed to come out and say, “This is too much! You have to step [up] for this type of issue and let people be free.”

The spiritual traditional Chinese culture was not the same as Ms. Barretto’s own, but she thought it was beautiful and something that should be nurtured, for the Chinese people’s future.

“I think it’s beautiful, the Chinese believing that, and I think you should nurture that, because this will make the Chinese, China stronger… They will believe more in themselves and they will grow, and they will do more that… they are supposed to do,” she said.

“I love this show!” Ms. Barretto said, adding that Shen Yun was “so great, and the dance was awesome.”

“It was very emotional to me,” she said.

Renata Berretto, head of global operations in Brazil for BNP Paribas Factoring, at the Shen Yun performance in São Paulo on March 19 (The Epoch Times)

 

“What We Need Right Now”

Cristiane Salomo, head of Paraná’s department of culture, saw Shen Yun in Curitiba with family and friends on March 25.

Ms. Salomo said that she saw the universal values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance in all the art elements. She said the connection between humankind and the divine presented in the performance was “what we need right now.” “We’re in the human world but we can’t forget the divine part of us,” she said.

“All the programs were very good. We gained understanding in all aspects [of Chinese culture] – faith, politics, and arts!

“This was a great experience. We need to restore all ancient cultures,” she said.

Cristiane Salomo (fourth from right), head of Paraná’s department of culture, with family and friends at the Shen Yun performance in Curitiba on March 25 (The Epoch Times)

 

“I Am Enchanted”

Osmar Zogbi, businessman and one of Brazil’s most prominent investors, and Sandra Zogbi, a psychologist, saw Shen Yun in São Paulo on March 17.

“Today, we as humans, we are needing much more of that, to be human. Where is humanism? Humanism is lacking for human beings… [Shen Yun] makes us remember the emotion, the joy, the sadness—I like it a lot,” said Mr. Zogbi.

Mr. Zogbi said the three words highlighted in the performance: Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance, were much needed. “I think the world really needs that. We don’t have in any world without these three,” he said.

Mr. Zogbi added that the performance was full of beauty and he enjoyed the fact that being based in New York, they were free to travel the world and show that “beauty to everyone.”

Mrs. Zogbi thoroughly enjoyed the performance as well. “I am enchanted with history, tradition, and their strength in showing the world their struggle through art, culture for the world,” she said.

Sandra and Osmar Zogbi at the Shen Yun performance in São Paulo on March 17 (The Epoch Times)

 

“It Really Is a Majestic Show”

Francisco and Andrea Sampaio, both doctors, saw Shen Yun in São Paulo with their son on March 20.

“It really is a majestic show! In some moments, it even got me emotional. It brought me emotions in the literal sense of the word! It moved me to the point of wanting to, of having tears in my eyes,” Dr. Francisco Sampaio said.

Dr. Andrea Sampaio said the performance was “wonderful, magical!”

“It is a very exuberant show, and [with it] you get to have such a connection. I mean, the physical part is very intense! You get to understand the whole thing just through their bodily expressions. The colors! The girls! It was all so perfect, simply beautiful! This work, how exquisite every single detail was,” she said.

The Sampaios felt Shen Yun’s mission was much needed in the world today.

“It’s so important, because the culture is getting lost, in every country nowadays… That’s why I brought my son. I wanted him to see the different cultures that exist and the beauty behind them, that makes us be reborn every time ever more with peace, with love. Especially that part with the singing! That presentation, the lyrics were incredibly beautiful,” said Dr. Andrea Sampaio.

The Sampaios said they wanted to extend their congratulations to Shen Yun for their excellence as well as their bravery in creating something for the world even though it cannot be shown in China.

“We were also very impressed with the fact this kind of show can’t be shown there [in China]… That’s a magnificent show! They’re extraordinary at what they do,” Dr. Andrea Sampaio said.

Drs. Francisco and Andrea Sampaio with their son at the Shen Yun performance in São Paulo on March 20 (The Epoch Times)

 

“Soul-stirring” and “Appealing”

Evenson Robles Dotto, president of Local Service Industry and Commerce Ltd., and Maria Eliza, a psychologist, saw Shen Yun in São Paulo on March 22.

“The dancing was soul-stirring! The ingenious costumes and the profound historic stories were all so appealing!” said Mr. Dotto.

Mr. Dotto purchased a copy of Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Dafa. “I think this book can teach me how to think correctly,” he said.

Ms. Eliza also shared, “Shen Yun delivered the spirit of compassion. This is a message that is beneficial for humankind.”

Evenson Robles Dotto, president of Local Service Industry and Commerce Ltd., and Maria Eliza, psychologist, at the Shen Yun performance in São Paulo on March 22 (The Epoch Times)

 

Upcoming Performances

Shen Yun continues its 2023 tour with upcoming performances in:

St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida, April 1–2
New Brunswick, New Jersey, April 1
Seattle, Washington, April 1–9
Omaha, Nebraska, April 3–4
Palermo, Italy, April 1–2
Nantes, France, April 3–5
Toronto, Canada, April 1–9
Taipei, Taiwan, April 1–2