SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

The More I Watch Shen Yun, the More I Love It, Says Doctor

Jan 15, 2023

KAMAKURA, Japan—A Japanese doctor attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Kamakura, Japan on Jan. 15. He said he enjoyed the show very much, “I watch it more, I love it more.”

Dr. Sekiya Masao is a medical Ph.D. and a physician at the Oyumino Clinic. He was amazed by Shen Yun’s dancers.

“The male dancers jump very high and spin very fast, but they synchronize with each other without any fault or mess. It’s extraordinary,” he said. “The female dancers move beautifully. They present the stories in detail, down to their fingertips and toes. It’s clear that they must make a huge effort to make this happen.”

Mr. Sekiya said he felt attending Shen Yun is an experience that only an emperor in history could have.

“The dancers are outstanding. They have remarkable physical abilities,” he said. “They must have been trained quite rigorously.”

Mr. Sekiya Masao, a medical PhD and a physician at the Oyumino Clinic, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. (Niu Bin/The Epoch Times) — Mr. Sekiya Masao, a medical PhD and a physician at the Oyumino Clinic, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. Niu Bin/The Epoch Times

Ms. Kobayashi Junko, a dance instructor, was surprised by Shen Yun dancers’ techniques, performances, and coordination.

“Every step and every movement of theirs shows their concentration. Every dancer can manage the right expression at every second. Their movements are very accurate and so well-coordinated. It’s really brilliant!” she said.

Ms. Kobayashi said she admired the Shen Yun dancers. She believed they dance with a very calm mind and full concentration on their dancing.

“I sat right in the front row of the first floor. I could see each dancer’s feet. But I couldn’t hear the sound of any steps. They’ve really worked hard on their skills,” she said. “Even in a very intense male dance, none of the dancers stopped smiling. They smiled all the way during the performance. It’s astounding.”

Ms. Kobayashi Junko, a dance instructor, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) — Ms. Kobayashi Junko, a dance instructor, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. Annie Gong/The Epoch Times

“[The female dancers] paid attention to all their movements, including their fingertips and costume’s angles. It’s stunning!” she said. “They controlled the whole body to deliver an enjoyable elegance.”

Ms. Kobayashi was enchanted by the culture that Shen Yun presents.

“I was very touched. I learned about culture, the traditional Chinese culture from Shen Yun, and not just about dance,” she said. “I hope more people can attend Shen Yun.”

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company, and has a mission to show the beauty and goodness of “China before communism.” For 5,000 years China’s civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Moved by the Stories and Music

Mr. Kobayashi Fuminori, a department manager at Kanagawa Prefectural Medical Center, enjoyed the stories that Shen Yun presented.

“The performance tells many traditional stories. I was very moved and enjoyed them,” he said. “You know, the show even has a satire on the existing system. I was very interested in watching it.”

Mr. Kobayashi also commented on Shen Yun’s orchestra.

“The music is captivating,” he said. “It not only has Western instruments, it combines Eastern and Western instruments, which is novel and beautiful.”

Indeed, Shen Yun’s orchestras are the first in the world to permanently combined a classical Western orchestra with ancient Chinese instruments like the pipa, a Chinese lute, and the erhu, a two-stringed and bowed instrument.

“I’ve seldom heard the erhu. Its sound is very fresh. It plays with the orchestra very harmoniously,” he said.

Mr. Kobayashi Fuminori, a department manager at Kanagawa Prefectural Medical Center, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. (Annie Gong/The Epoch Times) — Mr. Kobayashi Fuminori, a department manager at Kanagawa Prefectural Medical Center, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. Annie Gong/The Epoch Times

Each Shen Yun performance consists of nearly 20 vignettes, presented through highly-expressive art forms such as classical Chinese dance, original orchestral music performed live, soloists who sing in the bel canto tradition, animated digital backdrops, and more.

Shen Yun Brings Hope

Mr. Nagano Hideki, the chairman of a non-profit organization supporting Ukrainian refugees, said Shen Yun can bring hope to people, especially to Ukrainians who were forced to leave their home country. So, he and his wife Keiko attended Shen Yun with 10 Ukrainians on Jan. 15.

“We and our Ukrainian friends are very happy,” he said. “This is really spectacular! It moves our hearts. We are empowered.”

Mr. Nagano said Shen Yun is uplifting and inspiring.

“Without using any words, the story-based dances were understood by us. We learned the key values and messages from the stories. It’s really magnificent,” he said.

Ms. Somka Svitlana, from Ukrainian, said that they have heard about Shen Yun for a long time. They felt lucky that Mr. Nagano invited them to attend the show.

“I’m very excited. The performance is superbly wonderful. Nothing can be as nice as Shen Yun,” she said.

Mr. Nagano Hideki (3rd R), the chairman of a non-profit organization supporting Ukrainian refugees, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center with Ukrainians in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. (Wang Wenliang/The Epoch Times) — Mr. Nagano Hideki (3rd R), the chairman of a non-profit organization supporting Ukrainian refugees, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kamakura Performing Art Center with Ukrainians in Kamakura, Japan, on Jan. 15, 2023. Wang Wenliang/The Epoch Times

Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company has finished all four performances of this season in Kamakura, Japan. Next, the company will perform in Kawaguchi, Japan from Jan. 17 to 19.

Shen Yun has in recent years set a new bar for the classical Chinese dance internationally. The Shen Yun 2023 season will be its biggest yet, with its eight equally sized touring companies set to visit more than 180 cities across five continents.

Reporting by Epoch Times Staff in Kamakura, Japan.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.