TOULON, France—After giving a total of 13 performances in Montpellier, Shen Yun Performing Arts began a series of six performances at Toulon’s Zénith on Wednesday, April 2.
“It made me discover another world,” said Jacques Yeterian, the director of a communications agency that operates worldwide, who has conducted over 20 interviews with heads of state, including Jacques Chirac, Hugo Chavez, Rafic Hariri, and Nelson Mandela, as well as more than 300 ministers.
“And there’s great choreography,” Mr. Yeterian said. As for Shen Yun’s performers, “they’re brilliant, extraordinarily perfect.”
“It’s very beautiful, with some very fine performances by artists. It’s very colorful,” said Daphné Yeterian, manager of HSL Diffusion, a company that offers its technical expertise to the building industry.
“The artists are incredible,” she continued, marveling at the tumbling techniques performed by the dancers, the costumes, and the colors. As for the dancers, “they all look great together.”
The Yeterians attended the performance on April 2 with their daughter, as the tickets were her Christmas present. The young schoolgirl, who is passionate about dance, waited until April to discover Shen Yun.
“I do classical dance and jazz, but classical Chinese dance is very different from the classical I do. I think it’s really beautiful, with the details, the sets, the outfits, and everything,” she said.
Mrs. Yeterian said they were lucky to secure seats with a good view.
“It’s very beautiful, very aesthetic,” she said. “Then the actors move into the tableau, with its enchanting backdrop. It’s a beautiful moment, a change of scenery.”
“Special effects are also interesting,” Mr. Yeterian agreed, describing “when actors enter the screen and leave in images” in the digital background.
“And there’s a bit of a humorous, childlike side with the paintings behind it,” added Mrs. Yeterian.
Another aspect of the performance surprised her: the spiritual side of China. Shen Yun revives 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, a divinely inspired culture. China was once called the “Land of the Divine,” alluding to the belief that this glorious culture comes from the heavens.
“It’s true that we don’t know China very well,” Mrs. Yeterian said.
As audience members learn during the performance, Shen Yun cannot perform in China, where the communist regime that has sought to destroy traditional culture since it seized power in 1949 has also banned Shen Yun.
“I find it abnormal that whatever the performance, it can’t be represented in certain countries. Censorship isn’t good for anyone, no matter who they are,” Mr. Yeterian said.
