SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Kenshibu Dance Competition Winner: Shen Yun’s Dance Is Extraordinary

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Kenshibu Dance Competition Winner: Shen Yun’s Dance Is Extraordinary
Akira Sakagami andd Fumiko Sakagami at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at ROHM Theatre Kyoto on Jan. 4, 2024. Fujino Wei/The Epoch Times

KYOTO, Japan—Akira Sakagami can be considered one of the best Kenshibu dancers in Japan. On Jan. 4, he and his wife came to see Shen Yun Performing Arts at the ROHM Theater Kyoto.

“In terms of flexibility, jumping and tumbling, etc., it was obvious that the dancers had practiced attentively and worked very hard,” said Mr. Sakagami.

Mr. Sakagami is well-versed in Kenshibu, a form of interpretive dance that uses swords and fans. He is also the director of a manufacturing company.

“The silent teamwork of the dancers greatly added to the beauty of the dance and the overall performance,” he said.

Shen Yun is based in New York, and its dancers are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“I noticed the dancers’ smooth steps, body postures, and hand gestures. These elements were like flowing lines, which gave me a lot of inspiration,” said Mr. Sakagami’s wife, Fumiko Sakagami, who is also a dancer.

As a dancer, she understands the discipline it takes to be able to do what Shen Yun dancers do.

“I was deeply touched by the dancers’ jumping, flexibility, unified movements, and their overall performance. This was the result of their practicing day after day,” said Mrs. Sakagami.

From the moment the curtain rose, Mr. Sakagami was already very impressed.

“The performance was extremely wonderful. There was the perfect combination of dry ice, lighting, the digital backdrop, and the accompanying music—the show was outstanding,” he said.

Shen Yun’s live orchestra features traditional Chinese instruments like the erhu and pipa amongst a classical Western ensemble.

“The fusion of Eastern and Western instruments was particularly outstanding,” said Mr. Sakagami.

Reporting by Fujino Wei and Maria Han.
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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