AMSTERDAM, Netherlands—Mr. and Mrs. Snel were in the audience at the first of three shows being performed by the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts in Amsterdam on Friday, April 17. Mr. Snel, recently retired, previously worked as assistant department manager of a shipping company, which encompasses 40 organizations, among them a local one. Both of them enjoyed the show so much that they were going to send their son and daughter-in-law to the show the next day.
This couple had previously seen numerous Chinese shows, but this one especially impressed them. “It was truly a special experience. One cannot see something like this here in the Netherlands—the Dutch dances are totally different. The Chinese dances really have their own distinctiveness. The performers dance with total devotion. So many dancers on stage and all of them dance in unity. This requires lots of discipline. The choreography is great as well,” Mr. Snel said.
Mr. Snel and his wife are Asian admirers. They have bought Chinese furniture, and Mrs. Snel has practised Tai Chi. They have not been to China, but through this show acquired a deeper insight into Chinese culture. “I found the performances truly fantastic, especially the last program before the intermission. Simply fantastic,” Mrs. Snel said.
She liked the Chinese music very much. “I was able to really relax during the music,” she said.
The couple knew that the show could not be performed in China. “A totalitarian regime does not allow such shows. It was clear to me that it is a group of Chinese who live abroad, who are not under the control of the [communist] regime,” Mr. Snel said.
His wife added, “These performers are very brave.”
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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