SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

In Shen Yun, Tokyo Theatergoers ‘Strongly Felt the Kindness From Dancers’ Hearts’

Jan 25, 2023
SHARE
In Shen Yun, Tokyo Theatergoers ‘Strongly Felt the Kindness From Dancers’ Hearts’
Mr. Kawamidare Mutuma, a board member of a precious metal manufacturer, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times)

TOKYO, Japan—Shen Yun Performing Arts took to the stage for the second day in Tokyo at the Shinjuku Bunka Center on Jan. 25, where many business elites were among the audience. Several commented on the sense of compassion and strong kindness they felt from the performers, and how it changed them.

“My soul has been cured by Shen Yun,” said Mr. Kawamidare Mutuma, a board member of a precious metal manufacturer. “The performance is amazing.”

He said Shen Yun is beautiful both externally, and internally.

“I’m very impressed. The costumes are gorgeous. The dances are elegant and magical. The 3-D backdrop is incredible!” he said.

“The dancers are very pure. Their expressions are honest and compassionate,” he said. “I strongly felt the kindness from dancers’ hearts.”

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company, and has a mission to show the beauty and goodness of “China before communism.” For 5,000 years China’s civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Mr. Baba Hisao, the president of Lions Clubs International Tokyo, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. (Lu Yong/The Epoch Times)
Mr. Baba Hisao, the president of Lions Clubs International Tokyo, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. (Lu Yong/The Epoch Times)

Mr. Baba Hisao shared the same feeling with Mr. Kawamidare.

“I felt the kindness on very deep levels. It’s an old kindness, passed down from history,” he said. “The classical Chinese dance is stunningly beautiful. My heart is very peaceful and happy now.”

Mr. Baba is well respected in Japan’s semiconductor industry. He is the president of Lions Clubs International Tokyo, and was the vice president of Samsung Japan and the president of TSMC Japan.

He felt excited to attend Shen Yun.

“The live orchestra coordinates with the dance perfectly. It’s astounding. I want to say that this is a really magnificent performance,” he said.

Shen Yun has in recent years set a new bar for classical Chinese dance internationally. The 2023 season will be Shen Yun’s biggest yet, with its eight equally sized touring companies set to visit more than 180 cities across five continents.

‘Very Meaningful’

Mr. Iwazaki Tetsuya is the customer center director of a special steel plant. In an interview, he repeatedly expressed how touched he was by Shen Yun.

“The show is spectacular,” he said. “All dances are cheerful and fast-paced. The costumes are brilliant. And the overall impressions are fantastic.”

“The dancers’ skills are extraordinary. The dances’ synchronization is the best,” he said. “I felt the Chinese tradition from the dancers. And they danced, using their art to venerate the divine. I think this is a very meaningful performance.”

Mr. Iwazaki said he felt Shen Yun was bright and valiant, which uplifted him. He was surprised by the accurate cooperation among dances, music, and backdrop.

“I don’t know if it’s the dancers’ dance matching the backdrop, or if the backdrop is controlled to match the dance. They synchronized perfectly, which was fantastic,” he said.

He said he wanted to attend Shen Yun again, because one time wasn’t enough.

Each Shen Yun performance consists of nearly 20 vignettes, presented through highly-expressive art forms such as classical Chinese dance, original orchestral music performed live, soloists who sing in the bel canto tradition, animated digital backdrops, and more.

‘All Artists Are Superstars’

Mr. Ishi Masakazu, the consultant of a well-established, century-old construction company, said all Shen Yun artists were superstars.
“I can’t imagine how long the time it takes to train a person into a Shen Yun dancer. They pull off splits to an incredible degree, and they can kick their legs extremely high,” he said. “Their techniques and synchronization can’t be attained by regular dancers.”

Mr. Ishi believes that music can reach the heart and control the soul. He enjoyed Shen Yun’s music very much.

“The orchestra created a complete feeling. It brought me into the stories. I love it,” he said. “The cooperation between the Western instruments and the Eastern instruments are perfect, and perform exactly what the dances need.”

The sound of the two-stringed Chinese instrument erhu enchanted Mr. Ishi.

He said: “The virtuoso can make so rich sound by controlling the strength of her pressing the string. Her fingers moved very fast. Sometimes, she plucked the strings. Sometimes, she used the bow to make jumping rhythms. I enjoyed it a lot.”

Mr. Ishi Masakazu, the consultant of a century-old Japanese famous construction company, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. (Niu Bin/The Epoch Times)
Mr. Ishi Masakazu, the consultant of a century-old Japanese famous construction company, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Shinjuku Bunka Center in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 25, 2023. (Niu Bin/The Epoch Times)
Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Tokyo, Japan.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
Related Topics
shen yun
SHARE