OTTAWA—Poet and writer Cyril Dabydeen called Shen Yun’s four-show opener in the nation’s capital “brilliant and fantastic.”
Dabydeen’s work has appeared in over 60 literary magazines and has appeared in 20 anthologies in seven countries. His interests lie in post-colonial literature and Caribbean, Asian, and African literature.
Shen Yun’s accomplished choreographers aim to present classical Chinese dance, an art form still new to the West, in its purest and most beautiful form.
The divine aspects of the ancient Chinese culture were a key theme in some of the performances.
“The divine elements, for me, were the most fantastic things. It put you into a different spiritual world. And I find that very exalting and very fulfilling,” Dabydeen said after the show.
Dabydeen mentioned that he had seen the show three or four times and that each time, he enjoys it even more.
“Tonight I was so pleased there was a standing ovation, which was fantastic. It’s very uplifting,” said Dabydeen. “I’m hoping tomorrow night’s show will be equally fantastic from the audience’s response.”
“And I would encourage the Ottawa audience to come out in full force again and again. Each time you find something uplifting again and again and again.”
The New York-based company Shen Yun, formed in 2006, has a mission to renew the divinely inspired cultural heritage of China that has been lost for the last several decades.
Dabydeen spoke of the sense of renewal and divine presence that the performance conveys.
“This show helps us move more and more toward a new world: a world of spirituality and divine things. And that for me is so very important,” Dabydeen said.
“The words [song lyrics] are so uplifting, beautiful poetry, and speaking as a writer and a poet, I could relate to that even more.”
Shen Yun will be performing three more shows at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa before moving to Hamilton. This year marks the fifth year Shen Yun visits Ottawa.
Reporting by Grace Zheng and Rahul Vaidyanath.
Shen Yun will play a few more shows in Ottawa on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day before moving on to Hamilton and Kitchener Waterloo, Ontario. After visiting Montreal, Quebec in the new year, the show will finish off in eastern Canada with shows in Toronto before visiting the rest of Canada later in 2011. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
