OTTAWA, Canada—The Shen Yun Performing Arts presentation of the enchanting world of ancient China impressed Dr. George Trigylidas at the National Arts Centre on Jan. 2.

“I like it very much,” said Dr. Trigylidas, an orthodontist who operates a private practice in the town of Carleton just west of Ottawa.

“It’s very artistic and full of history and culture. The movements are fantastic and ethereal. We enjoyed it very much.”

“I really enjoyed it, very soothing,” said his wife, Tina.

New York-based Shen Yun excels at taking stories and legends from China’s 5,000-year history and presenting them to audiences through music and dance—both ethnic and folk dances as well as classical Chinese dance, an ancient art form that is being revived by acclaimed classical Chinese performing arts company.

The depth of the performance impressed Dr. Trigylidas.

“There’s a lot to learn,” he said. “The underlying note here is that there is serenity and peacefulness. It’s behind this culture. There’s no extremes and violence, just serenity and peacefulness.”

According to the Shen Yun website, China was once known as Shen Zhou, The Divine Land—a land where it was believed that the divine transmitted a rich culture to the people of the earth. For thousands of years, Buddhist, Taoist, and other disciplines were at the heart of society. Calligraphy, music, medicine, attire, and much more were said to have been passed down from the heavens.

Some of the story-based dances depict this divine aspect of China’s traditional culture.

“I could see the divine intervention in those stories,” said Dr. Trigylidas. “Everyone believes in some supreme being, and we can see it here.”

Reporting by Grace Dai and Joan Delaney

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.