HAMILTON, Canada—Seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Hamilton Place Theatre on Sunday afternoon was a new experience for bakery/deli owner Philip DiFilippo.

“It’s a great learning experience for us. We’re Canadian but we’re Italian background, so this is all new to us,” said Mr. DiFilippo.

Mr. DiFilippo owns Roma Bakery and Deli in Hamilton, a business that has been in his family since 1952. He attended Shen Yun with his wife, Evelyn, and his sister Mary Murchie and her husband Bill.

“I’m really enjoying it,” said Mrs. DiFilippo during the intermission.

Mrs. DiFilippo, an elementary school teacher, said she was impressed by the Shen Yun dancers. Shen Yun showcases the ancient art form of classical Chinese dance as well as ethnic and folk dances from China’s diverse regions.

”It’s really nice to see how they’re all in sync all the time,” she said.

“What we enjoyed was the gliding,” said her friend Ms. Murchie, an educational assistant. “The gliding was spectacular. It looked like they were on hydroplanes.”

Ms. Murchie was referring to how the Shen Yun dancers take tiny heel-to-toe steps, making it look as though they are floating.

Shen Yun’s presentation of China’s traditional 5,000-year-old culture includes soloists who sing in the bel canto style.

“I enjoyed the opera singing, the tenor and the soprano—phenomenal. They were both very good,” said Mrs. DiFilippo.

“It’s very emotional, too. I get a little bit teary-eyed with the singing,” Ms. Murchie added.

Mrs. DiFilippo was also impressed by Shen Yun’s signature backdrops, which are animated and interact with the story-based dances.

“I was just mentioning to my husband that the technology is phenomenal,” she said.

“The background really helps you understand what’s going on and it really keeps you focused.”

Ms. Murchie said her daughter, who also attended the show, was riveted by what was going on onstage.

“She was saying her eyes were dry because she just stared the whole time. She didn’t even blink—she didn’t want to miss anything.”

Also attending the performance were Bob Van Houtte, who owns a courier business, and his wife, Ethel Van Houtte, a chiropractic health assistant.

“From the storyline, everything was very easy to follow—and exciting, very exciting,” said Mr. Van Houtte.

“The costumes are gorgeous, the bright colours, the precision,” said Mrs. Van Houtte.

According to its website, Shen Yun’s costume artists collect countless designs of traditional attire, ranging from those of emperors, ministers, and generals to the everyday clothing of the common people. They use bright colours to tailor and recreate hundreds of new pieces each season. 

Reporting by Renee Zhang and Joan Delaney

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s World Company will perform next in Kitchener-Waterloo. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

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