MONTREAL, Canada— Yolande Bourguignon-Charbonneau, an artist from Montreal, was blown away by Shen Yun Performing Arts’ lavish production showcasing China’s traditional culture at Place des Arts on Jan. 9.

“I’m excited, it’s extraordinary,” she said after the show. “I loved the whole set of costumes with the colours that went with the decor and everything, and the dancers. It’s wonderful.”

The erhu piece, “All For Today” by Mei Xuan, also impressed her. The erhu has a history of over 4,000 years. Though it has only two strings, it can convey a wide range of emotions.

“Gorgeous! Gorgeous!” said Ms. Bourguignon-Charbonneau, who paints in watercolours and acrylics.

As an artist, she enjoyed the abundance of colour in the performance—present in the elaborate, handmade costumes and the hand-painted backdrops.

“I loved it, very colourful. It inspired me a lot,” she said, adding that the costumes themselves were “magnificent. I would like to have one—so very feminine, so pretty, very airy, flexible.”

Through classical Chinese dance, ethnic dance, and folk dance, Shen Yun takes the audience on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. The performance also includes vocal soloists.

The music is provided by a live orchestra that blends Chinese and Western instruments—something unique in the music world.

Ms. Bourguignon-Charbonneau said the music moved her.

“It gets me in the heart,” she said.

She enjoyed Shen Yun’s digital backdrops too, which are animated for the story-based dances—dances that depict myths and tales from China’s log, rich history.

“I find it extraordinary,” she said, adding that the show left her feeling good.

“It is very beautiful. It is a great show. … It relaxes you. It makes us appreciate what we have.”

“I am very excited. I will come back next year.”

Dance teacher Denise Marcil was also delighted with the performance.

“The show is truly extraordinary,” she said. “It’s so fabulous, it’s a pity for those who are not able to come. It’s truly exceptional.”

“I love the colours and the grace of the dancers,” added Ms. Marcil, who teaches social dancing, tap dancing, Latin dance, and holds dance workshops.

“I was so amazed with ... all the dancers, also the pastel colours. It’s amazing.”

The hallmark of Shen Yun is classical Chinese dance, an ancient art from passed down over thousands of years in China. It can range from being sedate and elegant to incorporating incredible combinations of leaps, turns, flips, spins, and other aerial and tumbling techniques. “It is a vast and independent system of dance,” says Shen Yun’s website.

“[The technique] is certainly exceptional, it is a very beautiful technique, and the agility is almost … it’s really classical dance, because it is used in international dancing,” said Ms. Marcil.

“It is a wonderful technique.”

Reporting by Nathalie Dieul, NTD Television, and Joan Delaney

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.