AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Shen Yun Performing Arts brought to Auckland a unique display of classical Chinese dancing and an orchestra that is composed of both Western classical instruments and traditional Chinese instruments. The audience was taken with dance and music on a journey through China’s 5000-year-old culture.

Karol Abrasowicz-Madej, BMW Group New Zealand’s managing director, attended the show with his wife, Violetta, who is a journalist. He shared his impressions after watching the performance at Auckland’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on Feb. 28, 2020.

“It’s very emotional. The choreography is beautiful and there’s a lot of color that’s visible—music, choreography, dance—it’s all combined very nicely. It’s very harmonious. Amazing!”

“Chinese culture was always close to me ... so you have touched upon one of the interesting parts of your culture,” he explained.

New York-based Shen Yun was formed in 2006 by artists from around the world who shared a wish to revive traditional Chinese culture. It is a divinely inspired culture that has been under attack in China since the communist regime came to power. A couple of dances in the company’s repertoire present the courage of Falun Dafa practitioners in the face of persecution, in China; practitioners demonstrate how by being a good person, a good future awaits.   

Falun Dafa is a peaceful practice of both mind and body basing its beliefs on the values of truthfulness, tolerance, and compassion.

Mr. Abrasowicz-Madej expressed hope that the spiritual group would be able to practice in China in the future.

“Falun Dafa [has] a very close connection with the energy. [It’s] good for the body and good for the whole health. I would say Chinese culture is rich. It’s not only old, but it just goes back to the times where we can’t even remember and it would be nice that it doesn’t get forgotten,” he said.

Mr. Abrasowicz-Madej said that the Shen Yun dancers’ movements expressed heart, soul, and a “lot of warmth.”

Mrs. Abrasowicz-Madej was also effusive in her praise of the performance. It was amazing—and the dances, costumes, and music were all great, she said.

“And the song was just, wow! I feel very proud of them,” Mrs. Abrasowicz-Madej said.