FUCHU, Japan—Yonaguni Megumi, a dancer who does the regional folk dance known as the Okinawan dance, was amazed at the different dances performed by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Fuchu-no-Mori Art Theater on Jan. 16, 2020.

“The body movements of the male dancers are very masculine. Their jumps, backflips, and leaps are done with such skill,” Megumi said.

As for the female dancers, Megumi said their hands, feet, and all other body gestures were done with such “beauty and delicacy.”

New York-based Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company. Since its inception in 2006, the company has now developed into seven equal-sized companies, and they make annual tours around the world every year.

The dance’s history and expressiveness resonated with Megumi. She said that she did see Chinese culture’s richness from the dances.

“Without speaking and having only dance moves, the dancers were able to communicate [with the audience] what they wanted to express. This is a high-level art performance,” Megumi said.

Before coming to see Shen Yun, Megumi stated that she wasn’t aware there were different Chinese folk dances. But now, she said these dances brought her on a trip through China, allowing her to appreciate how the Chinese have lived.

Shen Yun will now continue its tour of Japanese cities of Sakai, Fukuoka, Tokyo, and Kyoto, before traveling to South Korea.