THE HAGUE, Netherlands—The Lucent Danstheater hosted the Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company, which brings to the world 5,000 years of Chinese history through classical Chinese dance and music, according to the company’s website.
Ms. Silvia Groot, a dancer, and Mr. Peter van Eijsendoorn, were in the audience to see a performance that comes but once a year to their area.
“I found it very surprising, lively, delicate, and the coordination between the dances I found really remarkable, really beautiful,” said Ms. Groot.
Classical Chinese dance has its own set of training methods in basic skills and has strict training in both physical expression and specific postures. It also involves learning combinations of leaps, turns, flips, spins, and other aerial and tumbling techniques,” according to the company’s website.
“The highly synchronized movements displayed by the dancers ... was astonishing. I didn’t expect that,” stated Ms. Groot, and Mr. Eijsendoorn agreed.
Ms. Groot thought of the dance techniques that she is familiar with and then explained, “This was really a beautiful classical performance.”
Agreeing with Ms. Groot, Mr. Eijsendoorn added, “It is just very wonderful, the colors. And the philosophy they express with that is also surprising, actually to hear and see it in motion. I found it really beautiful.”
Being familiar only with the Western style dance techniques, Ms. Groot said, “I believe the combination between dance and spirituality, that was also new for me. I never thought about that. But I think it adds something to the dance.”
Spirituality in dance was an astonishing new concept to her and she said, “When you are meditative, oriented from the inside, and from that state you start to dance, I think it will bring something extra, also for the audience.”
In conclusion, she said, “Oh dear, I have seen so much.”
Reporting by Wang Xiaoen
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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