SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Gives Audiences the Chance to Travel Back in Time, Says Geoscientist

Jan 25, 2014
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Shen Yun Gives Audiences the Chance to Travel Back in Time, Says Geoscientist
Classical Chinese is richly expressive and “more connected to nature,” says geoscientist Zdenek Duchoslav. (Lisa Ou/Epoch Times)

TORONTO—After taking in the Saturday matinee performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts, geoscientist Zdenek Duchoslav felt that classical Chinese dance had a distinct gift. 

The performers were more “natural” than in other styles of dance he had experienced, and were thus better equipped to express emotional depth, he said. 

“It feels more connected to nature, of what they want to express, which is far more powerful,” he said. “It is actually seeing real life in real situations.”

Classical Chinese dance was passed down and refined over thousands of years in China, which allowed it to gather wisdom and influence from each dynasty. According to the Shen Yun website, the complete system of dance is also considered to be one of the most expressive in the world. 

New York-based Shen Yun is on a mission to revive this art form, along with 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, as it tours around the globe.

Mr. Duchoslav, who is president of geophysical consulting company Zebra Earth Sciences Inc., said the performance allowed audience members to travel through China’s multifaceted regions without leaving their theatre seat. 

“It is fantastic for people who don’t have an opportunity to go to those places, and of course we cannot travel in time,” he said. “So to bring the time back to the present is extremely valuable for all of us.”

The performance also provided audiences with a historical storyline that led right up to today, he added.

“This show is powerful because it brings the history back to the present and it makes the connection to what we can possibly see if we are lucky enough to visit those places [in China],” he said. 

“After seeing this show we can connect to how it was made, developed, created, and what mighty manpower was behind [Shen Yun].”

Mr. Duchoslav was also impressed with Shen Yun’s creative vision and production values. 

“It’s very well produced and the directorship is very well done,” he said. 

Every Shen Yun performance contains about 20 presentations of music and dance. Featuring story-based dance as well as ethnic or folk dance, the performance also includes operatic soloists, digitally animated backdrops, and a full orchestra that incorporates traditional Chinese instruments.

“It was beautiful,” said Mr. Duchoslav. 

Reporting by Lisa Ou and Justina Wheale

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s World Company will perform in Toronto until Jan. 26. 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.