TORONTO—Sometimes the bigwigs in business or television just like to hit the town. And today, several executives and at least one retired producer were in the market to appreciate some ancient culture onstage to nurture their souls, as they attended Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance company that aims to deliver exactly that to their global audiences.
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, with a mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
Adding some humor, Mr. Mancini’s wife, Aviva Reimer, who accompanied him to the performance, said, “It’s good to forget about what’s going on in the world.”
Meanwhile, Brian Thomas, a retired television executive, is no stranger to Shen Yun—today’s show was his fifth—and he also understands many of the technical aspects behind the show. He was, nevertheless, blown away tonight by this year’s production.
“It gets better every year. It really gets better every year,” he said. “It’s exhilarating to come back year after year and to watch how it changes and evolves.”
He noted how the 3D digital backdrop animations in the background, which interact with the dancers to tell ancient legends onstage, keep improving. “Amazing!” he said. “I kind of know how it works, but it’s really amazing.”
And the dancers? “They’re so disciplined and working in harmony,” he said. “The dancers are great.”
“It’s pretty fantastic,” Ms. Paige said.
