Tumbling Master: Shen Yun ‘It is Beyond Words’

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Regardless of race or culture, beyond the boundaries of language, Shen Yun Performing Arts is popular all around the world. On April 1, Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company premiered to a full house at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei. Among the audience was tumbling coach of the Shaolin Chinese Martial Arts Association, Xiao Jincai, from mainland China. After seeing the show, he said he was fascinated by the performance. “Exceptionally good,” he said.

Shen Yun presents classical Chinese and folk dances and music, with a live orchestra that combines Chinese and Western instruments, and award-winning solo vocalists. Through the form of performing arts, it demonstrates the Chinese divinely-inspired culture which features respect for heaven and virtue.

In addition to a solid foundation of classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun dancers have gone through rigorous training, agility and the difficult skills of jumps, flips, twists, and spins that have been a part of classical Chinese dance for thousands of years, and they are able to bring to life the richness and depth of an ancient culture.

Having taught tumbling skills in Taiwan for over six years, Xiao Jincai felt that Shen Yun’s choreography was very creative. Taking for example Little Mischievous Monks, he noted, "It is very creative. I especially like the scene of the little monks, as it is the scene similar to the mischief in my childhood." The playful and humorous performance made Mr. Xiao reminisce about his childhood and made him feel delightful.

“I feel the rhythm; the choreography and the overall coordination of the music are wonderful. It is beyond words." The interpretation of genuine Chinese culture displayed in the two-hour-plus program fascinated Mr. Xiao. He explained, "It was the overall environment and atmosphere that attracted my attention to the end."

Reporting by Huang Caiwen.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org