Daniel Thibault, mayor of Saint-Magloire, Quebec, and Angèle Dumont at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal on April 14, 2022. NTD
MONTREAL—Daniel Thibault, mayor of Saint-Magloire in Quebec, said he enjoyed the various features of Shen Yun Performing Arts, which is currently playing in Montreal as part of the Canadian leg of its world tour.
“[The dancers] are extremely flexible. ... With all the colors, the costumes, the props—it’s magnificent,” said Mr. Thibault after seeing Shen Yun at the Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal on April 14.
“We see that there is somewhat of a mythicism in their dance movements. It represents peace, in my opinion, joy, the quintessential.”
Mr. Thibault also praised Shen Yun’s music, performed by a unique orchestra that seamlessly blends traditional Chinese instruments with classical Western instruments.
“The music is really calming, relaxing. There are some very strong movements in the music, and then also relaxing movements,” he said.
The performance, he said, brings “joy, tranquility, happiness.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Each year, the performing arts company travels the globe, bringing its exhilarating performances to audiences in different parts of the world. The company’s mission is to revive China’s traditional culture as it once was before decades of communist oppression in today’s China.
Mr. Thibault praised the values in Chinese culture, while expressing sadness for the oppression that continues in modern-day China. He also commended Shen Yun’s efforts for presenting the ancient Chinese culture.
“We hope that it can continue in our communities,” he said.
Angèle Dumont said she also thoroughly enjoyed Shen Yun, praising the various aspects of the performance.
“I really liked the show. The dancers, the colors, the fabrics and the props—everything was really very beautiful,” said Ms. Dumont.
‘Awe-Inspiring’
Cathy Louladakis and her daughter, Sophia, at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Théâtre Maisonneuve, in Montreal, on April 14, 2022. Zhen Xiuxin/The Epoch Times
Cathy Louladakis, a chartered accountant, said Shen Yun is “absolutely magnificent.”
“The colors, the costumes. ... You can tell that they’re incredibly skilled. It was just a beautiful artistic form,” Ms. Louladakis said.
Ms. Louladakis said she also enjoyed the animated backdrops in the performance, as well as the music, the vocalists, the solo performance of the erhu virtuoso, and the pianist accompanying her.
“Everything was just so beautiful. ... It’s so hard to say what you prefer the most. ... The ensemble was just marvellous,” she said.
Ms. Louladakis added that she enjoyed the role of divinity in Chinese culture as presented in Shen Yun.
“I did actually appreciate a great deal how [they bring] divinity into the program, showing us that I think anything is possible so long as you believe so,” she said.
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