BRISBANE, Australia—Two Brisbane City councillors praised Shen Yun Performing Arts after attending its sold-out opening night at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre on Feb. 26, calling the production “powerful” and an “absolute honor” to experience.

Councillor Sarah Hutton said she felt enriched by Shen Yun’s powerful dance stories.

“It has been a really powerful performance, not just about dance and sharing traditional Chinese culture, but the storytelling behind it … It gives me goosebumps, it was wonderful,” she said.

“China has such a rich history, and it’s so nice to be able to see that done in such a performance,” she added.

As a city council member, Mrs. Hutton said she was familiar with the activities of the Falun Dafa community in Brisbane and thought Shen Yun delivered a very important and powerful message regarding the persecution.

“I think a lot of people don’t understand what currently goes on, and I think it was really great of the narrations to be able to share that message,” she said. “We are in 2024, and a lot of this is swept under the carpet, and not many people are very courageous about talking about it.”

“It’s tragic … but I think having [it] on the stage there tonight, I think it will provoke many discussions with people in the audience,” she added, “so it’s a very good way to send the message, while also sharing the great rich tradition of Chinese history.”

“The powerful story behind the Falun Gong tradition … it gives us hope,” she said. “It’s more than just a way of life. It’s believing that there are higher beings and that there is a future, there is hope.”

“I think the way of life, the way of sharing and enriching people’s lives as a community … how they work together… [was] a very strong theme throughout,” Mrs. Hutton said. “It’s very connected and very beautiful.”

“It’s just an absolute honor and a pleasure to … see this great dance troupe all the way from New York, here in good old Brisbane, having a great show,” he said.

“It’s just spectacular, as I knew it would be because of all the advertising that [was] done prior to the show … and every bit of that advertising has come to fruition,” he added. “And I’m just so privileged to be able to come to the opening night.”

Intrigued by the representation of China’s ancient and spiritual culture, Mr. Strunk said, “It’s almost like a fantasy … but with some religious overtones, some spiritual overtones.”

“It’s just a very great experience, a loving experience … the dancers can share with us as an audience,” he said, “and it’s always just good to be able to experience that through dance.”

As a councillor, Mr. Strunk said he tries to immerse himself in other cultures.

“It’s important that we try to understand as much of that culture from the people that have actually now called Australia home,” he said, “and [it] just makes us a better person … a more informed person.”