OTTAWA—Lori Keay, vice president of Jim Keay Ford, drove down to watch Shen Yun Performing Arts premier this Monday, Dec. 19, at the National Arts Centre in downtown Ottawa.
Ms. Keay, along with brother Jason and mom, Johnette, got tickets to the show as Christmas presents from their father and husband, John Keay, founder of the company.
“I think it’s beautiful,” said Ms. Keay at intermission. She felt the show was not only interesting visually but was also educational. “[It’s] nice to sort of see visually ... the history of Chinese,” she said.
New York-based Shen Yun revives 5,000 years of classical Chinese culture and history through the performing arts. Ancient Chinese dance and song was an art form believed to reach perfection when the artists strove to improve their moral character and reach spiritual fulfillment.
“Lots of morals in each of the little dances, and the music and ... the overall idea of being good and divine is very much present in the dance,” noted Ms. Keay.
The dance Sleeves of Silk, in which female performers use their elongated sleeves to convey the most lovely expressions of classical Chinese dance, made a lasting impression on Ms. Keay.
“I found it interesting how well they could control the long pieces of fabric, it’s just so precise,” she said. “They can express themselves with no words; it’s very interesting,” she added.
As Shen Yun continues to tour the world, every year the company presents a new program, bringing back veteran audience members and attracting new viewers.
Ms. Keay agreed that next year she will need to come back and bring others. “I have a niece that does dance. I think she would have liked it too,” she said.
With reporting by Donna He and Kristina Skorbach
Shen Yun has three companies touring the world. The Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company will perform at the National Arts Centre Dec. 19–23. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
