VANCOUVER—Sandra Higuearas, founder and designer for Qispi Kay swimwear, saw much to appreciate in the presentation of traditional Chinese culture on display at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Saturday night. Shen Yun Performing Arts played its last Vancouver show of the season, leaving audiences well entertained.
With the keen eye of a fashionista and swimwear designer, Ms. Higueras was quick to comment on Shen Yun’s colourful handmade costumes.
“The costumes stood out, for sure,” she said. “They were very detailed.”
Shen Yun features classical Chinese dance, a comprehensive dance form that was performed in imperial courts and ancient Chinese theatres and opera, which was passed down and evolved over 5,000 years.
“I knew there was culture, but I didn’t realize there was so much dance culture,” said Ms. Higueras. “The dancing definitely was impressive.”
Audience members are often surprised to learn that Shen Yun is based in New York and is prohibited from performing in China, where traditional culture has been almost completely destroyed by the Chinese regime since the Cultural Revolution.
“[The] Chinese Communist Party removes the cultural essence of respect for the divine, thereby extracting the heart and soul of traditional Chinese culture,” reads Shen Yun’s website. “Shen Yun seeks to revive these virtues the world over.”
Being based in New York enables Shen Yun to freely express this ancient culture and its ideals.
“I didn’t realize before that freedom of religion wasn’t allowed in China,” said Ms. Higueras.
“It’s a big eye-opener for me. I knew it was a communist country, but I didn’t even think about that. I thought this production was from China, until they mentioned that they were based in New York, and that you couldn’t actually see this in China. That was very informative. “
Ms. Higueras appreciated the depth and richness of the performance.
“I’ve been to Broadway and Broadway is great but this is completely different,” she said. “This is a cultural, theatrical experience.”
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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.
