THE HAGUE, Netherlands—Aurima Sibirskas, a ballerino with the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, and Edita Ramanoop, a teacher, delighted in Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening performance on Jan. 16 at the World Forum Theater.
Mr. Sibiskas thought the whole performance by Shen Yun was beautiful. He loved seeing traditional Chinese culture, and it reminded him of his previous visits to China.
“You must come and see Shen Yun at least once; it’s like seeing the cosmos. There’s no traditional Chinese dance in Europe,” he said. “It’s very beautiful.”
“In Chinese tradition, you have connection between the movement and the music,” he noted. “When you listen to the flute or the violin, the movements flow with the music. It’s very smooth. In ballet, everything is rhythmic and separated.”
Ms. Ramanoop said she thought the music fit perfectly with the dances and was beautiful.
They explained that in the Chinese language, the traditional Chinese characters for “medicine” and “music” are strikingly similar but have different pronunciations. In fact, music is considered one of the earliest forms of medicine in the world.
Seamlessly blending the grandeur of a Western orchestra with the ethereal beauty of Chinese melodies, Shen Yun musicians produce a profound emotional range that captures the depth of the human experience.
Ms. Ramanoop, too, enjoyed the whole performance. She was especially mesmerized by the beautiful costumes and the colorful 3D digital backdrop that collaborated with the dancers to enhance storytelling.
“There are very nice effects with the screen—the dancers going from the movie to the real stage and back. That’s very fascinating,” she said. “The whole show was very relaxing, calming, and peaceful.”
Also attending the performance were Marc Merkestein and his wife. They decided to celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary with an evening at Shen Yun.
“I find it very beautiful to watch. It’s also fascinating to learn more about the non-Western side of the world,” Mr. Merkestein said. “Here in the West, we sometimes think we’ve invented everything. It’s refreshing to discover that elsewhere, they’ve been doing similar things for much longer.”
Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company dedicated to reviving China’s rich culture, nearly lost under decades of communist rule. Its performances feature a series of short dances highlighting various regions of China, as well as solo musical pieces.
Mr. Merkestein was especially intrigued by the performance’s introduction of Falun Dafa—an ancient Chinese spiritual meditation practice whose followers are taught to aspire to the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.
Though he is not very spiritual, Mr. Merkestein thought it’s “important to remain open to other perspectives and to honestly consider them.”
Mrs. Merkestein, whose idea it was to attend Shen Yun, said she’s glad to have come because “tonight’s performance made [her] realize how far removed we’ve become from spirituality.”
“It was so sad,” she said.
Other stories in the performance had Mrs. Merkestein feeling hopeful about the beauty of life.
“The part about the Creator’s return—at the beginning, there was already a segment where he came to Earth with all the divine beings, and that was very beautiful. At the end, when [he came back,] that brought a sense of hope,” she said.
“Sometimes, when I look at the world, I try to live with compassion and tolerance but it can be very difficult. Then, I occasionally lose hope in life. But through the performance, I regained some strength [knowing that] there are actually many more people who stand for [these kinds of principles] unconditionality.”
Mrs. Merkestein added that she found a complete alignment of her values with the teachings of Falun Dafa, and that she had purchased a Falun Dafa pin from Shen Yun Shop in the theater lobby.
“For me, it all makes sense—tolerance, compassion—it’s just right. I remind myself daily that this is where our origin lies. In a world where we’re constantly distracted and tempted by things that aren’t pure, it serves as an anchor for me when I feel that I’m straying. I have the pin to remind me.”
The couple said they definitely recommend everyone to attend Shen Yun.
“You’ll take something away from it no matter if you’re [spiritual] or not. It’s simply beautiful to watch,” Mr. Merkestein said.
