TORONTO, Canada—Director of the Culture Centre of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto Lan Baiqing watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on March 31. Mr. Lan said that the performance touched him deeply, and that it was a performance worth watching, as it elevated the mind.

Mr. Lan said that the story-based dances recalled many memories in his mind. He added that Shen Yun’s ability to spark laughter in audiences of any age and race is a form of cross-cultural communication.

“To be able to see such a beautiful performance in Canada, to see Chinese people from different areas gather together, to be able to communicate with members of mainstream society here, is this not the ultimate purpose of today’s performance?”

“I hope that more people can use this cultural difference to seek common ground while preserving differences, and to move closer to ultimately achieving peace through mutual understanding.”

Also in the audience was Xu Peichen, the deputy director of the Culture Centre of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Toronto.

Ms. Xu said that she had seen Shen Yun’s advertisements on television and found them beautiful, but that seeing the live performance at the theater was a completely different experience.

“You can tell by the way the performance was set up, the cooperation between the performers, and their movements that they must have had very strict training in order to achieve these results.”

“The high-tech backdrop and the dancing came together perfectly,” she said. “The special effects were very unique, and I was stunned to see the performers appear from the backdrop.”

Ms. Xu was also impressed by Shen Yun’s live orchestra, which combines traditional Chinese and Western instruments.

“The music and dance go very well together. You usually hear a lot of Western music from symphony orchestras, and I never knew that traditional Chinese instruments could go so well with the dancing. It was very elegant and very wonderful.”

“The performance presents many values,” Ms. Xu said. “It tells us the importance of human rights, freedom, and dignity. These are all expressed throughout the dances and are very meaningful.”

“I’m very happy I got to see a performance like this,” Ms. Xu added. “I’m also very glad that they tour around the world and present a feast for the eyes and souls for every audience member.”