CALGARY, Canada—Joyce Wheeler literally danced out of the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on Sunday, after watching the Shen Yun Performing Arts evening show, inspired by what she had witnessed on stage.
“It’s magical,” she said.
“It’s fabulous—the smoothness and the gracefulness—[of Shen Yun’s dancers] was just beautiful. I could see it again, and again, and again.”
Ms. Wheeler attended the show with her husband Martin, who formerly played the violin in the Calgary Youth Orchestra.
“I loved the show,” said Martin, praising the instrumentation in the performance.
“They’ve practiced to be perfect, I can see that.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company.
Formed in 2006, the company features classical Chinese dance, folk dance, traditional Chinese instruments, digital backdrops, and solo vocal performances to portray the essence of traditional Chinese culture on stage.
Shen Yun’s guiding mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture.
As a musician, Mr. Wheeler said the skill of Shen Yun’s musicians was “excellent,” and he particularly enjoyed the traditional Chinese instruments featured in the orchestra.
The show was “precise, unique, and spectacular,” he said.
Ms. Wheeler enthusiastically praised the company’s male and female dancers.
“It was just wonderful, they’re so feminine, and masculine,” she said. “We absolutely loved it.”
Shen Yun’s trademark traditional costumes inspired Ms. Wheeler, with their notorious flowing, luxurious fabrics.
“I loved the costumes, they’re so feminine,” she said. “I loved the way the dresses flowed.”
According to the Shen Yun website, the costume designers create hundreds of new pieces each season and aim to achieve “an authentic presentation of the attire that comes from China’s divinely inspired traditional culture,” and a “consummate stage effect.”
Shen Yun Performing Arts has three equally large companies touring the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company is playing at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary until Monday before continuing on to Edmonton for two shows at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
