QUEBEC CITY, Canada—The stage at the Grand Théâtre de Québec was brimming with bright colours and breathtaking background scenery on Jan. 13 as Shen Yun Performing Arts kicked off the first of two performances in Quebec to an appreciative audience. 

“Every time you get to a new scene, the costumes, the colours, the ambiance is different,” said Quebec MNA Sylvie Roy, adding that she was impressed with the wide array of colours in Shen Yun.

Based in New York, Shen Yun presents classical Chinese dance and music. Among many features that make Shen Yun’s performances unique are hundreds of colourful handmade costumes, as well as digitally animated backdrops that set the scene and interact with the dances on stage. 

“Shen Yun’s costume artists collect countless designs of traditional attire, ranging from those of emperors, ministers, and generals to the everyday clothing of the common people. They use bright colors to tailor and recreate hundreds of new pieces each season,” explains the Shen Yun website. 

Ms. Roy said that the scenery and colours on the stage change from scene to scene, with each dance piece having its own costumes and backdrops scenes and props. 

“When you go from Mongolia to the [royal] court, it’s totally different,” she said, referring to the various dance pieces in Shen Yun set in different locations and time periods. 

Through the performance, Ms. Roy said she could see how different ethnic groups in China have their own characteristics and traits and ways of doing things.

For example, in a piece titled “Chopsticks Dance of the Mongolian Ladies,” a dance of welcome set in the Mongolian grasslands, “you truly see a whole range … of doing, ways of dancing, costumes.”

Shen Yun presents mainly classical Chinese dance, an ancient art form passed down over thousands of years. But the company also features some ethnic and folk dances from different regions of China. 

Ms. Roy had high praise for Shen Yun’s dance performances and their precision. 

“It’s like clockwork—it’s done with infinite grace and artistry,” she said.

Reporting by Mathieu Côté-Desjardins

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.