Reviving China’s Traditional Culture ‘Very Relevant’

The couple also enjoyed the animated, interactive backdrop. Mrs. Voight said, “It’s unique, I haven’t seen that sort of special effect before.”
Reviving China’s Traditional Culture ‘Very Relevant’
Brandon Voight, who is in sales, and his wife, Alison Voight, a website editor, were in the audience on Friday, Feb. 18. (Susanne Hughes/The Epoch Times)
2/17/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/sales+and+website+editor+.jpg" alt="Brandon Voight, who is in sales, and his wife, Alison Voight, a website editor, were in the audience on Friday, Feb. 18. (Susanne Hughes/The Epoch Times)" title="Brandon Voight, who is in sales, and his wife, Alison Voight, a website editor, were in the audience on Friday, Feb. 18. (Susanne Hughes/The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1808126"/></a>
Brandon Voight, who is in sales, and his wife, Alison Voight, a website editor, were in the audience on Friday, Feb. 18. (Susanne Hughes/The Epoch Times)
SYDNEY—Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company is on stage again this weekend at the Capitol Theatre, wowing the audience with its display of traditional Chinese culture portrayed through classical Chinese dance and music.

Brandon Voight, who is in sales, and his wife, Alison Voight, a website editor, were in the audience on Friday, Feb. 18, and were impressed with the show.

Mr. Voight said he enjoyed the lively performance and that it was “very colourful [and] very vibrant.”

Ancient myths and heroic legends are played out through story-based dance and are performed alongside tales of contemporary issues concerning Chinese people today.

Mr. Voight found one of the contemporary dances set in modern-day China very interesting.

“[It is] very relevant, and I thought it was beautifully presented through dance and the story. I thought that was very clever.”

Mrs. Voight said she enjoyed the gorgeous handmade costumes that span ancient China’s dynasties, regions and ethnic groups. “The women look very elegant,” she said. “And I’ve enjoyed the technique of the tumbling. I thought that was quite impressive.”

Techniques in classical Chinese dance include a series of very difficult moves—jumps, flips, twists, and spins that have been a part of classical Chinese dance for thousands of years.

Mr. Voight was impressed with the music created by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which is a unique blend of Eastern and Western instruments, something he had not heard before.

The couple also enjoyed the animated, interactive backdrop.

Mrs. Voight said, “It’s unique, I haven’t seen that sort of special effect before.”

Mr. Voight adding, “I really like it. I can see this really taking off. … I enjoyed the interplay between the screen and the live action.”

On Shen Yun’s mission of reviving ancient China’s divinely-inspired traditional Chinese culture, Mr. Voight said, “I think that piece where they’re fighting for the culture, and religion being an important part of any culture and faith, not being crushed … and I am referring to the hammer and sickle there—an imported Russian belief destroying a Chinese tradition. I think it [Shen Yun’s mission] is very relevant.”

Dance Student: ‘It’s Very Different’

Also in the audience on Friday evening was Molly Sherden, a ballet student. She said she was really interested to see what Chinese dance was like.

“It’s very different,” she said. “The men are really quite bright in their movements, and really light on their feet, and very together. And the women’s use of the costume is very interesting.”

From her dancing perspective, she said the Shen Yun dancers “have very good technique.”

Molly said she found the silk costumes and ornate headpieces stunning. “They’re so bright, and they really add to the effect of the whole dance in general. They have so many quick changes as well between what they’re wearing, and they’re just stunning.”

She also enjoyed the Shen Yun Orchestra saying, “The fact that it’s live just makes it.”

Molly particularly enjoyed the humour in Little Mischievous Monks, about young Buddhist monks who engage in a little of their own training while the abbot is away.

Reporting by NTD Television, Susanne Hughes and Jane Andrews.

Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company will perform at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre until Feb. 23. Next stop is Melbourne, March 1-6. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

 

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