VANCOUVER—Iqbal Grewal, a biotechnology industry executive and scientist, was full of praise for Shen Yun Performing Arts after seeing the classical Chinese dance and music company perform at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Friday evening.
“I think it’s a great show. It teaches you a lot about Chinese culture,” Mr. Grewal, the chief science officer and a board member at ImmunGene, said in an interview during the intermission
“It’s really entertaining, and I would say exhilarating.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun was formed by a group of leading classical Chinese artists with a mission to revive China’s divinely inspired culture.
At the heart of Shen Yun performances is classical Chinese dance, an art form that dates back to thousands of years ago.
Shen Yun performances also feature a unique orchestra that combines classical Western instruments with Chinese instruments, vocal performances by award-winning vocalists who sing Chinese text using the bel canto style, and hundreds of hand made colourful costumes, as well as state-of-the art animated digital backdrops.
Through the performance, Mr. Grewal said he learn more about traditional Chinese culture and the Chinese people, as well as the spiritual aspect of the age-old culture.
According to the Shen Yun website, “Since ancient times, China has been known as the ‘Celestial Empire.’ This refers not only to China’s strength and position as East Asia’s Middle Kingdom, it also captures a more profound meaning, describing a land where the divine and mortal once coexisted.”
Mr. Grewal said it’s important to preserve old traditions and make them part of everyday life.
“I think we live a very stressful life and if you have a little bit of a spiritual side to it, [as in] Chinese culture, it would help,” he said.
“I think [old values are] getting away. What we are missing, and how we can restart those things, how we can value old traditions and old cultures and incorporate them in everyday life—that will help a lot.”
With reporting by NTD Television
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.
