Shen Yun ‘A League of Its Own,' Says Dance Teacher
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Kayla Calabrese attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 17, 2024. Julia Ye/The Epoch Times
SYDNEY, Australia—For dance teacher Kayla Calabrese, watching Shen Yun dancers showcase their techniques alongside the live orchestra was an experience unlike any other.
“I come to the theatre a fair bit; we watch different shows that come to Sydney and musical theatre, but this is unlike that,” Ms. Calabrese said after watching Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Lyric Theatre to a full house on March 17.
“The dancing was incredible, top level, just the dedication and commitment from all of the performances on stage.
“It’s in a league of its own—with the combination of both Chinese instruments and some instruments we have here as well. It is just a different experience.”
Classical Chinese dance forms the heart of Shen Yun, where the art form has been refined over thousands of years to become one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
The New York-based performing arts company also showcases China’s traditional culture prior to communism, a time where myths and legends, music and art, Buddhist and Daoist philosophies, traditions, and customs were a part of daily life.
Through a series of vignettes, Shen Yun performs ethnic, folk, and story-based dances, which are accompanied by an orchestral arrangement that blends Eastern and Western instruments, along with soloists, and an animated backdrop.
Currently, Shen Yun cannot be performed in China since the company’s mission is to revive what the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sought to systematically destroy—China’s 5,000-year-old culture.
“I think a lot of people who can watch this show here in Sydney, Australia, can learn [that it is] very important about the mission of what Shen Yun tries to convey, Ms. Calabrese said, adding that the messages and themes presented by Shen Yun were very “positive.”
“And the connection between Heaven and Earth and human beings and the Divine is really something new, and I felt the connection, and it was very impactful to me. I was very emotional.”
Traditional Stories Resonate With Dance, Ballet Teachers
Meanwhile, ballet teacher Felicity Jones said she resonated with the storylines, particularly with the tale of devotion. Ms. Jones also watched Shen Yun to a full house at the Lyric Theatre on March 17.
Felicity Jones attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 17, 2024. NTD
“I really liked that one,” she said, adding that she saw the value of patience and devotion to one’s spouse as presented through the vignette.
According to Shen Yun’s website, the tale of devotion is a true story that has been passed down through the centuries. The story talks about a young woman who waited nearly two decades in a cave for her husband to return from serving the country.
Sarah Marriott attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 17, 2024. NTD
Shen Yun’s portrayal of traditional Chinese stories also resonated with ballet teacher Sarah Marriott.
“It’s definitely an eye-opener,” Ms. Marriott said on March 17. “Both with dancing and the traditional culture, just something different to experience live shows, and then with the orchestra as well, it’s just a whole new level for them.
“Visually just brilliant, like the colours, especially with the live orchestra; it’s an immersive experience of sights and sounds, and it’s beautiful.”
‘Divine Theme’ Inspires Spiritual Healer, University Lecturer
Also in attendance was Sherynne Smith, a Sydney-based spiritual healer.
Sherynne Smith attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on March 17, 2024. NTD
Ms. Smith said the storylines presented by Shen Yun would benefit people and society at large.
“It was magnificent,” she said. “And at the end, I was crying. Because it felt like a message for humanity, and it was just so extraordinarily beautiful. I have never seen anything so magnificent in my life. I love it.”
Reporting by NTD, Julia Ye, Rebecca Zhu, and Henry Jom.
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