OTTAWA, Ontario—Data scientist Diana Esparza had an “incredible” experience seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts.
“It’s great to see the history behind all of the systems that China have experienced over time,” Ms. Esparza said after seeing Shen Yun at the National Arts Centre on April 19. “The costume, the choreography—it gives me chills.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, founded in 2006 with a
mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through music and dance.
The
music, choreography, and
costumes came together to create something special, in Ms. Esparza’s experience.
“I love it. It’s beautiful. The music is so profound, and it goes so well with the performance behind all of the artists,” she said.
In addition to Shen Yun’s unique orchestra that blends East and West, the programs also feature musical solos, including a bel canto singer who impressed Ms. Esparza.
“She has so much passion and, you know, makes you really feel that you are immersed in the story behind,” Ms. Esparza said.
Matthew Arsenault, who saw Shen Yun with family who gifted him tickets for Christmas, said he came in without expectations and was blown away by the talent.
“I was just talking to my mother-in-law about the combination of very big bombastic movements and then these really subtle, subtle, very precise movements and just putting the two together in really cool, interesting ways,” said Mr. Arsenault, who works in securities administration. He added that he was also impressed with “the ability of the artist to
tell a storythrough dance.”
As emcees explain during the performance, classical Chinese dance is, alongside
ballet, one of the most comprehensive dance forms in the world. It has a history of thousands of years, soaking up wisdom from the culture and arts of each dynasty. Sharing historic roots with Chinese opera and theater, classical Chinese dance is famously expressive, and Shen Yun makes full use of this nature in its story-based dance vignettes.
“The talent of the artists is evident, very evident,” Mr. Arsenault said.
Reporting by Nancy Lin, Donna Liang, and Catherine Yang.
