MONTREAL, Canada—The city’s movers and shakers were at Place des Arts on Monday night, as local leaders gathered to take in Shen Yun Performing Arts’ opening night performance at the downtown venue.

Gilles Deguire, Mayor of Montreal North was at the evening performance, the second time he’s seen Shen Yun having come last year, and called it a rare and precious opportunity.

“It’s something that you see few times in your life, a show of that kind of perfection,” he said. “I really enjoyed the evening.” 

A renowned classical Chinese dance and music company, New York-based Shen Yun is currently performing across Canada on its 2014 tour. Shen Yun has four touring groups that simultaneously perform around the world with a common mission to revive 5,000 years of divinely-inspired Chinese culture. 

Mr. Deguire, who served as a Montreal police officer for 30 years before entering politics, was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the large-scale dancing featured in the performance.

“It’s hard to describe, the beauty of it,” he said.

Shen Yun’s classical Chinese dance and folk dances often include dozens of dancers on stage, performing in perfect synchronization. 

“The precision is really something very special,” he said. “You don’t see any mistakes and it’s really surreal, really fantastic.”

Shen Yun performers also dance in perfect timing with the company’s orchestra—a unique blend of Western and traditional Chinese instruments, as well as high-tech digitally animated backdrops.

Before leaving the theatre into the chilly January night, Mr. Deguire recommended Shen Yun as a great way to spend an evening. 

“The performance is fantastic.”

Reporting by Fu Ming and Justina Wheale

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s World Company will perform in Montreal until Jan. 9 before going on to Hamilton, Ontario. 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.