Shen Yun Performing Arts wrapped up its 2015 tour dates at Place des Arts with a capacity crowd that included Steve Ellemo, the VP of an advanced manufacturing company making aerospace, defence, and train components.

“It’s very good. Very colourful and entertaining,” Mr. Ellemo said of the performance.

He said he liked every piece performed.

“The dancers are fantastic,” he added.

Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, whose performances include ethnic and folk dances from around China, as well as musical soloists.

A unique orchestra that features traditional Chinese instruments leading the melodies provides the music, and a digitally projected animated backdrop presents a vivid setting for each dance.

Mr. Ellemo praised the backdrop and said he enjoyed the way the dancers onstage interacted with the animated scenes it projected.

“I like the way they jump into the backdrop and come out of the backdrop,” he said.

He would leave that afternoon with memories of colour and energy, he noted, adding that he especially found the dance stories depicting martial arts energetic.

Several dances featured a contest between good and evil. In “Outlaw of Mt. Liang,” a hero from the classic saga “Outlaws of the Marsh” recalls his glory days as an imperial commander before a corrupt official tries to seize his beautiful wife, who gives up her life to escape the lecherous man.

The corrupt official then bribes guards to burn the hero alive, but he escapes and kills the official in self-defence. He was then forced to flee to escape the official’s corrupt and powerful father.

Another dance, “Monkey King and the Skeleton Demon” tells a tale from the classic novel “Journey to the West,” about a Tang Dynasty monk on a quest for Buddhist scriptures who is protected by the magical Monkey King.

Along the way the Skeleton Demon disguises herself as a beautiful woman and other figures, which the Monkey King dutifully strikes down, seeing through the disguise. Unfortunately, the monk does not realize that the seemingly innocent people are the demon. He instead banishes the Monkey King for what appears to be killing innocent people.

With the Monkey King gone, the demon captures the monk, but the Monkey King comes back just in time.

“I would say in a few words, colourful, energetic, and entertaining,” said Mr. Ellemo of the performance.

“Very good. I enjoyed it very much.”

Reporting by Dongyu Teng

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. Shen Yun’s International Company will continue on to Quebec City for two performances on Jan. 13 and 14. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts a significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.