OTTAWA—It was Doug Wilson’s first experience of classical Chinese dance when he attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the National Arts Centre on Friday night, and he was more than delighted by what he saw.
“It’s absolutely fantastic. Words don’t describe it,” said Mr. Wilson, Chief Operating Officer with the Métis Nation of Ontario Development Corporation (MNODC).
The MNODC pursues economic opportunities for the benefit of the Métis people of Ontario. The Métis are an Aboriginal people with a distinct identity and culture in west central North America.
“Everything is so excellent,” Mr. Wilson noted. “The dancers are all so extremely light on their feet and flexible. The singers are amazing. I just can’t describe it.”
New York-based Shen Yun, founded in 2006, takes as its mission the revival of the authentic traditional Chinese culture. The performers are selected from among the top artists around the world and make up three separate touring companies that travel the globe every year with an all-new production of classical Chinese dance and music.
The music was “wonderful, very soothing, and just enjoyable,” Mr. Wilson said of the performances of the virtuoso singers and live orchestra, unique in its fusion of traditional instruments from the East and West.
Mr. Wilson especially highlighted the state-of-the art digital backdrops that extend the stage to other worlds, depicting stunning imagery and often animated to enhance the storytelling and visual effect of the different dances and songs.
“The way that [the characters] come down out of the mountain from the backdrop and just appear behind the stage, and immediately the dancers are on the stage, or coming in the wings, it’s just simply amazing,” said Mr. Wilson.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” he added. “And the timing is just brilliant.”
After watching Shen Yun, he said he had a deeper appreciation of traditional Chinese culture.
“We know that Chinese go back thousands and thousands of years and a lot of things that are throughout the world originate from the Chinese culture, so it’s almost a homecoming,” Mr. Wilson said.
“Fantastic, amazing, awesome,” he said.
Reporting by SOH Radio Network and Cindy Chan
Shen Yun has three companies touring the world. The Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company will perform at the National Arts Centre on Dec. 19–23. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
