TORONTO–The first time Christopher Randall attended Shen Yun five years ago he was immediately hooked. Now he makes it an annual tradition.
Mr. Randall, marketing manager for radio station 92.5 Jack FM in Toronto, says the performing arts company–currently on its tenth tour of Eastern Canada–has become a beloved institution in the city and around the world.
“You can look around and people are really enjoying it. It’s just a spectacle, really beautiful,” he said after the April 21 performance at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
“It’s perfect for a [multicultural] city like ours.”
Mr. Randall said the reason the performance–a story-based tour of China’s 5,000-year-old semi-divine culture–has become so well loved is its combination of art, entertainment, history, and current events.
“It gave me a lot to think about, but it was also a celebration of joy and freedom and musical expression,” he said. “And it was very educational too. There’s something for everybody, that’s for sure.”
New York-based Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company with a lofty mission: to revive China’s long-lost traditional culture, destroyed under decades of communist oppression.
Mr. Randall applauded the artists’ effort.
“I believe in the work that [Shen Yun] is doing and I believe in the beautiful images and the music– the talent is just extraordinary,” he said. “It has a beautiful story behind it, too.”
“Through music and through dance and through exploring the Chinese culture [they] also make a statement about what’s going on in the world.”
Mr. Randall was also touched by the enthusiasm of the young performers, who have devoted their lives to intensive training in order to become the highest-level performers.
“They have a lot to offer and they make it look so easy,” he said. “They’re really enthusiastic.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Justina Wheale
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s International Company is currently touring Eastern Canada. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
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.
