VANCOUVER—TV producer and former dancer Janos Molnar and his wife Sheela Dodd, a social worker, had a wonderful time at Shen Yun Performing Arts’ third performance at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 11.
“It was amazing, just incredible. It was beautiful,” Ms. Dodd said. The stories were “very creative and very powerful—they’re all so connected, just very colorful and imaginative.”
Today, the New York-based Shen Yun is working to revive this lost civilization and bring back to the world through dance and music, the beauty of pre-communist China.
Ms. Dodd loved the artists’ portrayal of the divine. In particular, she was moved by the story-based dance depicting the Creator descending to Earth to help humanity in times of trouble.
It was “very spiritual. I think we need to get more of that in our lives, so it was very touching for me. I think it’s missing [in today’s world.]”
From the perspective of a film producer and a former Hungarian dancer, Mr. Molnar was very impressed by the skill of Shen Yun’s artists and the innovative 3D digital backdrop that worked seamlessly with the dancers to enhance the storytelling on stage.
“The choreography was really good, and the dancers were very tight. It was very good,” he said.
“The orchestra just blew my mind,” she expressed. “I’ve actually never seen a live orchestra before with dance. It was just incredible, beautiful, very light.”
Using classical Western orchestration as the foundation, Shen Yun’s original compositions highlight traditional Chinese instruments such as the two-stringed erhu and the pipa—an ancient Chinese lute. Bringing to its audience the best of both worlds.
The message the couple will be bringing home with them from Shen Yun is one of kindness, love, and peace.
“There’s something bigger than us, and love always should prevail. Love is so powerful. I think that’s what we should strive for, love and peace,” Ms. Dodd said.
