NANTES, France—Winter is not yet over, but it was a beautiful spring afternoon in Nantes that welcomed the world famous Shen Yun Performing Arts to the city.
For its second performance in the city of Jules Verne, on Saturday, Feb. 16, a mild spring heat greeted the shimmering colors of the costumes and landscapes presented in Shen Yun’s dances. The enthusiastic audience was eager to discover New York-based Shen Yun’s new programming for this season.
Sophie Tanniou, PhD, is a consultant and strategic development manager for the teaching of English to professionals and individuals at ANNAM Services in Nantes.
“It’s stunning,” she said, referring to the colors presented in “the combination of digital images and dancers. Dancers she calls impressive because of the ”quality of their movements” and the coordination displayed on stage.
“It’s breathtaking!” she said, adding that together with the music, “you are transported to another place.”
Tanniou said the dancers and colors created a sort of harmony in the performance. Indeed, the search for harmony was at the heart of traditional Chinese culture, which was inspired by the divine. From the humble craftsman to the emperor, all placed spirituality at the heart of their lives.
By practicing meditation themselves, Shen Yun’s artists bring this tradition of divine inspiration to life. Indeed, on Shen Yun’s website, it is explained that “for them, this spiritual connection is the motivation to strive for excellence, it is the heart behind every movement of the dancers, every note of the musicians.”
Tanniou thought the dancers make everything look effortless. She was touched by this journey of discovery of traditional Chinese culture.
“I have no words to describe it, it is very delicate and at the same time very harmonious... It is done with great elegance and great lightness,” she said.
A harmony and lightness that could be beneficial to modern society today, she added. Tanniou said the “spirit of meditation” described in some of the scenes, could bring “more calm and serenity.”
