SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Brings Cultures Together: Dance Academy Owner

Mar 02, 2024

BENDIGO, Australia—Nicole Taylor, the owner of a dance academy in Melbourne, was among a number of people who traveled nearly 160 kilometres (100 miles) to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts on March 2.

“I’ve never seen anything like I’ve seen today. It was incredible,” Ms. Taylor said following a Saturday evening performance at the Ulumbarra Theatre in Bendigo, roughly a two-hour drive from the state’s capital city, Melbourne.

“I think there’s a lot of angst in this world, and if we can bring peace and understanding and bring the different cultures together through something like this, that’s a brilliant thing,” she said.

Ms. Taylor remarked on how the New York-based Shen Yun presented a number of pieces, such as dance stories, folk and ethnic dances, and classical Chinese dances, as well as soloist virtuoso performances of the two-stringed Chinese Erhu and vocal bel canto tenor and soprano singers.

“I think the whole thing was different themes for every single piece. They were very diverse, but there was a common theme which started with tradition and then came into the modern day at the end, and I think that was brilliantly done. Very seamless,” she said.

As a dancer and dance teacher, Ms. Taylor was struck by the technique of the New York-based dancers trained in classical Chinese dance, which forms the foundation of the entire production.

“Amazing; it was absolutely beautiful,” she said, adding a clarification that “it wasn’t just the dancing” that won her praise, but how each piece was ushered on stage by bilingual masters of ceremonies. They enhanced the experience, she said, by enlightening the audience with insights into each piece.

“Having that interpretation for each piece was incredible. I think it was great for the cultures, to bring the cultures together through dance and music,” she added, going on to note that Shen Yun is “absolutely” achieving its stated mission to revive traditional culture that was nearly destroyed under communist tyranny.

What’s in a Name?

Having experienced the performance, Ms. Taylor shared her thoughts on the company’s name, Shen Yun, which means “divine beings dancing”—a reference to the bearing of the dancers and how they move.

“I love the name and the meaning behind the divine, the meaning behind the movement. I thought that was brilliant, too, so the name is amazing. And whoever thought of the entire thing—the way the costumes, the way the choreography fitted the music, even singing—it was just beautiful,” she said.

According to Shen Yun’s 2024 program, the performance presents dances and music inspired by China’s 5,000 years of civilisation. The company states that it is “reclaiming a lost heritage” that all but fell into decline after the Chinese Communist Party took power in 1949.

Ms. Taylor said that Shen Yun’s artists and dancers must put “a lot of practice” into pulling off an all-new performance each year.

“I was blown away by the technique; I thought that was amazing,” Ms. Taylor said.

“But for me,” she added, “it was also the education behind it.”

Ms. Taylor was referring to story-based pieces that depict the persecution of Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) in modern-day China. Falun Dafa is a spiritual practice steeped in Buddhist tradition, whose adherents strive to live by the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Many of Shen Yun’s artists and dancers practice Falun Dafa and have fled China due to being persecuted for their faith.

“I actually felt quite emotional learning [about] the persecution behind a lot of the culture and then portraying that in dance. I thought that was beautifully done; they had a lovely balance because I was quite emotional, but then they had a bit of light relief with the comedy, and that was wonderful the way they did that, it was enough on each side,” she said.

The Melbourne dance academy owner had a message for Shen Yun’s dancers and its director: “I would say brilliant job, well done, keep doing what you’re doing because it’s achieving that purpose of bringing arts and their culture to the masses. So, brilliant. Brilliant job.”

Erick Rante, a graduate architect who works in the construction industry, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Bendigo, Australia, on March 2, 2024. (NTD) — Erick Rante, a graduate architect who works in the construction industry, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Bendigo, Australia, on March 2, 2024. NTD

Shen Yun’s Values Needed ‘All Over the World’

Erick Rante, an architect graduate who consults on home renovation designs, traveled two hours from Geelong to attend Shen Yun in Bendigo on March 2.

Mr. Rante said that he'd never seen classical Chinese dance before and raved about the performance.

“The energy is amazing. Even like the color, even like the color that they have there, like the theme is just very colourful and beautiful,” he said.

“It makes me like, oh wow. Yes, it’s really good,” he added.

Mr. Rante, who didn’t know much about Shen Yun, was invited by a friend. Impressed by the videos on Shen Yun’s website, he booked his ticket.

“So that’s why I wanted to come and have a look, even though it’s, like, a fair drive, a couple of hours away,” he said.

“I actually wanted to know what it’s all about. Yeah, so I’m pretty interested in what the story is, trying to tell people. And yes, I just wanted to see the story of it,” he added.

“I enjoyed the performances. I think it’s really good and unique, I think. Yeah, and I love it,” Mr. Rante said.

Mr. Rante was struck by the dance story “The Restaurant,” which, according to the program, depicts a team of unmotivated workers rallying in a “display of teamwork” to save the business after a poor health inspection outcome.

He also resonated with the values depicted by Shen Yun. “I really get the message,” he said.

“My values are to be compassionate with people, being honest as well, and ... being truthful, and being nice, and helping out each other. I’m family-oriented as well. I value my family, my friends,” he said.

He continued: “So I think being compassionate and being nice to one another—I think that’s what needs to be done all over the world. So without it, I think people will be doomed.”

Classical Chinese dance is at the heart of Shen Yun. A live orchestra that permanently combines classical Western and Chinese instruments accompanies each performance, with all new arrangements every year.

“I love the symphony, and I think they’ve practiced really, very hard,” Mr. Rante said. “I think it’s really good and very much appreciate what they’re doing, so I hope they continue what they do, for many more years,” he added.

Currently, Shen Yun has eight companies simultaneously touring the world.

“I’m glad I got to see it,” Mr. Rante said, adding that if Shen Yun comes to Melbourne, he'll come again and bring his friends.

Reporting by NTD, Beatrice Li, and Caden Pearson.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.