WINNIPEG, Canada—For the first time ever, Winnipeg audiences were treated to Shen Yun Performing Arts’ portrayal of the essence of China’s rich traditional heritage at Centennial Concert Hall on Wednesday evening.
“It is very, very good indeed,” said Gustaaf Sevenhuysen, dean and professor in the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a traditional Chinese show, certainly a live show. Occasionally you can catch something on television, but this is very impressive.”
One of the hallmarks of New York-based Shen Yun is classical Chinese dance, which draws upon thousands of years of art and civilization. Chinese dance includes jumps, turns, flips, and other difficult aerial techniques.
“The movements and the athletics and the acrobatics are different from what I see in other shows—it doesn’t come from Hollywood, you can put it that way,” said Prof. Sevenhuysen.
“On top of that, ... the feeling you get from the show is from another time—it is not from today as modern life.”
He said he particularly enjoyed In a Miao Village. One of China’s oldest ethnic groups, the Miao are known for their elaborate headdresses and ornate silver jewellery.
Prof. Sevenhuysen’s wife was also impressed with the show.
“The music and the dance and the philosophy behind it—beautiful, beautiful. The choreography, and then the music and the dance, wow, it’s beautiful,” she said.
Prof. Sevenhuysen added that the theme in many of the pieces “relates to that fact that there is a better way of looking at the world, a better way of behaving—that is the message that comes through … To understand what is important in life and understand and recognize what is important in life.”
“But the dancing I like and the stories I like, because they are traditional.”
Also attending Wednesday’s show was Terry Russell, a professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Manitoba.
“I think it’s great, I’m really enjoying it,” he said during the intermission.
“I like all of the dancing, it’s really amazing and the costumes are fabulous. The performers are so professional.”
What he found interesting, added Prof. Russell, was that the Shen Yun presentation “is very traditional and it’s not really easy to see traditional type dance these days.
“Because in mainland China there’s not as much support for that kind of thing as there should be, and it’s really nice to see a group like this based in New York.”
He was also impressed by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which blends Chinese and Western instruments and includes many members from renowned ensembles and music schools.
The musical scores are all original and traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu and pipa complement the classical Western instruments to create a new sound.
“The orchestra—you hardly even noticed they were a live orchestra because they’re so good—so professional,” said Prof. Russell.
Shen Yun will stage a second and final show in Winnipeg Thursday night.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun. For more information, visit www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
“It is very, very good indeed,” said Gustaaf Sevenhuysen, dean and professor in the Faculty of Human Ecology at the University of Manitoba.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a traditional Chinese show, certainly a live show. Occasionally you can catch something on television, but this is very impressive.”
One of the hallmarks of New York-based Shen Yun is classical Chinese dance, which draws upon thousands of years of art and civilization. Chinese dance includes jumps, turns, flips, and other difficult aerial techniques.
“The movements and the athletics and the acrobatics are different from what I see in other shows—it doesn’t come from Hollywood, you can put it that way,” said Prof. Sevenhuysen.
“On top of that, ... the feeling you get from the show is from another time—it is not from today as modern life.”
He said he particularly enjoyed In a Miao Village. One of China’s oldest ethnic groups, the Miao are known for their elaborate headdresses and ornate silver jewellery.
Prof. Sevenhuysen’s wife was also impressed with the show.
“The music and the dance and the philosophy behind it—beautiful, beautiful. The choreography, and then the music and the dance, wow, it’s beautiful,” she said.
Prof. Sevenhuysen added that the theme in many of the pieces “relates to that fact that there is a better way of looking at the world, a better way of behaving—that is the message that comes through … To understand what is important in life and understand and recognize what is important in life.”
“But the dancing I like and the stories I like, because they are traditional.”
Also attending Wednesday’s show was Terry Russell, a professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Manitoba.
“I think it’s great, I’m really enjoying it,” he said during the intermission.
“I like all of the dancing, it’s really amazing and the costumes are fabulous. The performers are so professional.”
What he found interesting, added Prof. Russell, was that the Shen Yun presentation “is very traditional and it’s not really easy to see traditional type dance these days.
“Because in mainland China there’s not as much support for that kind of thing as there should be, and it’s really nice to see a group like this based in New York.”
He was also impressed by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which blends Chinese and Western instruments and includes many members from renowned ensembles and music schools.
The musical scores are all original and traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu and pipa complement the classical Western instruments to create a new sound.
“The orchestra—you hardly even noticed they were a live orchestra because they’re so good—so professional,” said Prof. Russell.
Shen Yun will stage a second and final show in Winnipeg Thursday night.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun. For more information, visit www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Friends Read Free