SEOUL, South Korea—Renowned director Ryu Seungwan, who broke box office records, in 2013, with his hit action movie Berlin, watched the first presentation of Shen Yun Performing Arts in Seoul on the evening of April 15.
After watching Shen Yun, Mr. Ryu praised the way the art has perfected every element of the show. “The way Shen Yun creatively uses every part of the stage is phenomenal,” he said. “In addition, the dynamic effects of certain background images was also very unique and innovative.”
Having once won the French International Film Festival Critics Union Award and the New York Asian Film Festival Audience Award, Mr. Ryu said that the backdrop of the show was exceptionally breathtaking. “As soon as I saw the backdrop connect with the stage in the scene, I thought ‘Wow!’ It was fascinating. From a visual point of view, the show brought a memorable and exciting experience,” he said
Many people think after seeing Shen Yun: Wow! The dancers jump so high into the air, so how can they make so little sound when they land? Or: Wow! They do so many flips and tumbles. The Shen Yun website says “All these jumping, turning, and flipping techniques, along with the exquisiteness of the bearing and form, give classical Chinese dance special expressivity.”
As a action film director, Mr. Ryu said that admires the tolerance of Shen Yun’s performers. “The dancers must work very hard,” he explained. “Since I have directed many action movies, after seeing the dancers flipping directly above the ground, and considering it from the dancers’ point of view, I am really worried that they will injure themselves. .
“If there were mats on the floor then it would be fine. But the dancers’ feet hit the ground without any cushioning, and for this I feel that they are really exceptional. Their tolerance is remarkable!”
Actually, many audience members feel that the artists of Shen Yun must be assisted by a divine power to complete so many difficult feats with grace and ease. In the end Mr. Ryu said, “Every program of the show seemed to have presented traditional Chinese culture’s ideals, and clearly, the show did an excellent job visually. This is a show that makes people ecstatic!”
Read the original Chinese article.
Reporting by Cui Zhenen and Irene Luo
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
