(Minghui.org) During the last week of February 2024, Shen Yun continued its performances in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and launched its Australia tour.
Shen Yun New York Company Arrives in Australia
After completing its Japan tour, Shen Yun New York Company flew to Brisbane to launch an Australia tour. This season, Shen Yun is scheduled to perform 31 shows in six Australian cities. Tickets for the performances in Brisbane were sold out prior to the company’s arrival.
Concertmaster Debbie Jin, a native of Australia, said, “There’s so much going on every day. Shen Yun can really act as a beacon of light for everyone, and our show never fails to inspire and bring happiness and touch people’s hearts.”
Dancer Daniel Sun said, “I think with Shen Yun, we are more than just a show. We bring to the audience an experience, and that is universal. Whether it be in Europe or Japan or all across the world, in the United States, in Australia, it’s an experience people feel. And they go away uplifted.”
Dancer Kathy Wu said, “It feels really sad that [in] China nowadays, you can’t see any traditional things anymore. Shen Yun tries to revive the 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. I feel very proud to be a part of it.”
Dancer David Xiao said, “We not only have technical skills, but also the values that we portray are very unique and special.”
Australian Theatregoers: “Really Great to Watch”
Professional dancer and 2017 Gold Coast Eisteddfod grand champion soloist Isabelle Hancock and her mother Sue saw Shen Yun in the Gold Coast on February 23.
“I really enjoyed it. The costumes are beautiful on stage with the lighting. Everyone’s so together, so [in] unison,” Isabelle remarked.
“It looks absolutely phenomenal onstage, all together… The jumps are beautiful, and the turns as well. With all the different variety of them, and the flips. It’s really great to watch,” she said.
Sue also enjoyed the performance. “We haven’t seen anything like this before. Costumes are fabulous. So far, I think my favorite performance was the one with the long sleeves,” she said of Shen Yun’s “Sleeves of Grace” piece.
“We didn’t realise that the show progresses back 5,000 years. So that’s pretty interesting itself, and obviously there’s a lot of different themes going on. You actually learn a lot, too, whilst watching the show, as well as the beautiful dancers,” Sue added.
Dr. Hadi Moattar, a clinical gastroenterologist and hepatologist, saw Shen Yun in the Gold Coast on February 23.
“I’m surprised that traditional Chinese dance’s movements are so diverse. I know Shen Yun’s program is rooted in the ancient times five thousand years ago. I actually really like China’s history, music, and traditional dance. This was an excellent performance. It covered a large amount of different dances in different scenes. I liked it very much,” said Dr. Moattar.
He also enjoyed Shen Yun’s music. “Very calming. Goes right into the soul and gives you tranquility and something spiritual… Shen Yun brought me a kind of peace. When I left, I felt happier,” he said.
American Audiences: “A Lovely Representation of Humanity and the Divine”
Renowned musician and record producer Ted “Theo” Perlman, who won a Grammy for his contributions to Burt Bacharach’s “At This Time,” saw Shen Yun with his wife Emilli Colledge in Nashville, Tennessee, on February 24. Mr. Perlman thought the whole show was “unbelievably good.”
“Fantastic, fantastic. Very beautiful. The music was beautiful—the way it combines Chinese melodies—I’ve produced records in China, mixing in the Chinese instruments with the [Western] instruments is just beautiful,” he exclaimed.
The blending “was perfect because the different tones and different intervals were really put together well. The musicians are fantastic and the dance was beautiful,” he said.
Mr. Perlman was especially inspired by Shen Yun’s story-based dances that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day. Reflecting on the artists’ mission to bring back spirituality and raise awareness for the ongoing persecution of people of faith by the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Perlman said it made him feel sad.
“My friends, I also do music for a church in Hangzhou. They’ve always had a hard time putting their music out because they’re Christians and they’re persecuted. Yet they just keep going,” he said.
From Shen Yun’s performance and the people he met in China, Mr. Perlman believed “there is still a chance for the divine to be back in Chinese life.
“I know the government thinks [religious beliefs] are a threat to their authority, but the Chinese people I know are very spiritual—whether they are Buddhists or Christians,” he said.
Moreover, Mr. Perlman thought Shen Yun was very educational and “it’s important for Americans to understand more about Chinese culture.”
“It’s traditional Chinese culture. For people into the arts and people who dance—they should be aware and see the different movements in Chinese music and how their intervals are different from Western music. They should be aware of [these things] and not just read about China on the news or social media,” he expressed.
Ms. Colledge, who serves as a chaplain, also enjoyed the show. She thought it was “such a lovely representation of humanity and the divine together.”
“It’s beautiful to see this imagery in the time that we’re living in right now,” she stated.
“To see that harmony and peace in the midst of sadness and loss—I’ve just been really inspired. It’s really beautiful to see,” she said.
Katherine Pena, the winner of Miss Florida Global United States 2019, saw Shen Yun in Miami, Florida, on February 25.
“That’s the whole point why we’re here on Earth, to help heal the collective with everything that we do and I believe this dance represents that. So spirituality is very important to me. It spoke to me, the whole, even just the beginning, that we’re all here for permission to work for the creator. Everything, even the dance moves, just align so well with the message,” she said.
German Theatergoers: “Energetic and Perfect”
Dany Huppermans, music producer and owner of an entertainment company, saw Shen Yun with his family in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, on February 23.
“The music is incredibly energetic and perfect… Heavenly music,” Mr. Huppermans said.
“I’m full of emotions. When I walked out of the program, everything I heard and saw was full of emotions. I really had an awestruck feeling like being struck by lightning.
“It was produced perfectly. Almost can’t describe it. You have to see it in person to feel it,” he said.
He said of the live orchestra, “Highest level. Dreamlike and wonderful.”
Shen Yun Concludes Ten-city U.K. Tour
After presenting its seventh performance at the Lowry Salford in Salford, United Kingdom, on February 25, Shen Yun New Era Company concluded its U.K. Tour. This season, the company presented a total of 47 shows to 10 U.K. cities, all to packed houses and reaching around 75,000 audience members.
Roy Sheppard, conference moderator, speaker, and author, saw Shen Yun in Salford on February 24.
“Absolutely wonderful. It was beautifully staged. Very innovative. Amazing energy. And I just thought it brought together old China, new China, made some very powerful messages, and it did it extremely well,” he said.
French Audiences: “Deep Messages”
Composer Eric Girondin and his wife Natalia, a cellist, saw Shen Yun in Tours on February 25.
“This was a fascinating hearing experience. We could clearly feel the characteristics of the Chinese music. The different composition method was refreshing,” Eric said.
“There were also deep messages behind the performance… such as Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance, these are all values that people are gradually forgetting. I think it’s great that they’re able to deliver these messages,” he said.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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