SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘I’ve Just Never Seen Such Skilful Dancing Before’: Says Wellington City Councillor

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‘I’ve Just Never Seen Such Skilful Dancing Before’: Says Wellington City Councillor
Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at St. James Theatre in Wellington, New Zealand, on April 13, 2023. NTD
WELLINGTON, New Zealand—Wellington City Councillor Ray Chung had very high expectations of the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts when he attended the show at St. James Theatre on April 13.

“Absolutely fantastic. I’ve never seen a show like this and I’ve [been] travelling around Asia for 20 years,” Cr. Chung said.

Cr. Chung attended the opening performance of Shen Yun’s 10-day tour of New Zealand. The St. James Theatre had been undergoing earthquake-strengthening renovations for nearly four years and Wellingtonians are now able to enjoy the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music performance once again. Shen Yun will be playing to sold-out audiences at all five performances in Wellington.

Cr. Chung said he admired the story-based dances.

“I … liked the scenes where the soldiers came out of the screen and jumped out of the screen and flew down from the sky. Just amazing and I really liked the dance with the ladies with the long sleeves,” he said.

Shen Yun has patented 3D digital technology which “creates seamless interaction between projection and the performers on stage” says the Shen Yun website. Theatergoers feel that they are actually part of the action.

At each performance, the audience is treated to classical, folk, and ethnic dancing. The dances bring to life 5,000 years of Chinese culture: colorful dynasties, popular and witty folk stories, comedies, and tales containing moral teachings.

“I’ve just never seen such skillful dancing before. They’re all so talented,” Cr. Chung said.

Shen Yun means the “beauty of divine beings dancing.” Ancient Chinese believed that their culture was divinely inspired and that artists looked to the heavens for divine inspiration.

Mr. Chung thoroughly enjoyed Shen Yun’s orchestra, which is the first in the world to blend the distinct sounds of traditional Chinese instruments with classical European instruments.

“I really enjoyed it, having a live orchestra there makes all the difference. Very, very authentic,” Cr. Chung said.

Shen Yun’s mission is to portray China’s true traditional culture that existed in the pre-communist era, a mission that Cr. Chung believes is very important.

“I had a meeting this morning with our arts and cultural people [in the Wellington City Council] and they were talking about the need to have arts. Arts is very, very important to get the different cultures in, and so I’m going to certainly recommend they come and see the show,” Cr. Chung said.

Shen Yun has eight companies that tour the world simultaneously, but Mr. Chung was appalled to hear that they are forbidden to perform in China.

“I think that’s terrible. I think that to actually ban performances like this is just really shocking, terrible,” Cr. Chung said.

The virtuosity of the Shen Yun performers left Cr. Chung brimming with praise.

“They’re so talented, just please carry on, just please go on developing these shows and having many shows. I’m just so impressed.”

Reporting by NTD and Diane Rowe.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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