SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Renowned Biologist Impressed by Diversity in Shen Yun

Jan 04, 2014
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Renowned Biologist Impressed by Diversity in Shen Yun
The cast of Shen Yun Performing Arts says goodbye to the audience of its Friday night show at the National Arts Centre, Jan. 3, 2014. (Evan Ning/Epoch Times)

OTTAWA, Canada—Distinguished cancer biologist Susan Cole was impressed by the rich culture presented by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the National Arts Centre on Friday night.

“Very nice, very nice for sure,” she said.

The New York-based company, whose mission is to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, wrapped up its second show in the Canadian capital, part of its 2014 world tour.

Ms. Cole was impressed by the variety of the 20-piece program reflecting the breadth of the Chinese heritage.

“It was a little unexpected, I didn’t realize it would be so many little vignettes, many stories as opposed to a single story. It was a nice overview of different aspects of Chinese dance,” she said.

An award-winning scientist, Ms. Cole has been recognized for her contributions to pharmacology and cancer biology, with her 1992 paradigm-shifting paper in cancer research being cited over 2,450 times.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Ms. Cole is currently Chair in Genetics & Molecular Medicine at Queen’s University, as well as a Canada Research Chair in Cancer Biology (Tier 1).

Economist Novak Jankovic, who accompanied Ms. Cole on Friday night, also commended the performance.

“Quite amazing, quite stunning,” he said.

“I call it a fairy tale for adults. That’s how I would define it.”

Established in 2006, Shen Yun has toured the world presenting performances of classical Chinese dance, a dance form with a history of thousands of years.

China’s 55 ethnic minorities—each with their own distinct traditions—also present rich subject matter for Shen Yun’s dances every year.

Ms. Cole said she enjoyed seeing the variety of ethnicities presented on stage.

“I think many western cultures don’t appreciate the diversity of China and the cultures within China as well,” she said.

Ms. Cole was particularly impressed by the digital backdrop accompanying the dancers, designed to reflect China’s multifaceted geography, as well as to complement and synchronize with all aspects of the performance.

“It was very pleasant,” said Ms. Cole of the overall performance.

Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company will present two more performances in Ottawa until Jan. 4 before moving on to Montreal on Jan. 6. For more information or to buy tickets, visit: www.shenyun.com

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