GLASGOW, UK—Educators have an eye for things that are beneficial to their students. For Natalie White, a head teacher, Shen Yun Performing Arts is a performance she wishes her students could see.
“I think it’s really important that we celebrate tradition and celebrate all of our cultures. I was actually the whole time thinking, I wish I brought the school children,” said Ms. White.
“It would be really great for them to see it. There was so much in it that they would have taken from, so that was really powerful.”
“Amazing. Just a spiritual experience. Relaxing. I just needed that. I think Glasgow actually needed this, to be honest,” she said.
“The virtues definitely came through strongly on the whole show from start to finish. There was a sense of values through it. It was really nice,” said Ms. White.
Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most athletic and expressive dance systems in the world.
“It was really vibrant, so full of life and energy, and the colors—everything about it just was so fulfilling. It was very pleasant. Really good experience,” said Ms. Broadis.
“[Shen Yun] brought the stories alive, brought the history alive, brought the heritage alive, which was really nice,” said Ms. Broadis.
“I think you’re not shying away from the negative sides of things. You gave the full picture. It wasn’t just about the flowers and the dancing. We really addressed some issues that were really important, and I think that’s really important for us to know,” said Ms. White.
Falun Gong—which consists of meditative exercises and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance—became immensely popular in China during the 1990s. The head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) grew jealous of Falun Gong and launched a persecution that has continued to this day.
Ms. White expressed her support of Shen Yun bringing this issue to the stage so that more people become aware of it.
Shen Yun’s truthful depiction of the CCP’s crimes has made the company unable to perform in China.
“It’s certainly a message you’re giving to the world ... and I think that was really powerful that you need to be out telling people,” Ms. White said.
Ms. Broadis was particularly struck by a performance that depicted people of today socializing through their phones rather than with others.
“I love the bit with the phones at the end. It’s sort of like everything is just looking at a phone rather than looking at another human being. And I think we’re losing that connection, I think, so that was beautiful,” she said.
