Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Along with folk dances and solo performances, the production depicts story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day.
‘A Wonderful Sensory Experience’
Shameela Khambhaita, family counselor, and her friend Bridget Ransome, executive communications manager, also attended the Shen Yun performance at the Festival Theatre on the afternoon of April 7.
“The vibrancy and the colors, the movement … was what I would describe as a wonderful sensory experience for all,” said Mrs. Khambhaita.
“I think there’s a lot that we can learn from history from different cultures,” she said, “it’s an opportunity for people to really understand our world and the different culture cultures and the learnings of the teachings that we all bring to the table.”
According to Shen Yun, ancient Chinese music, medicine, calligraphy, clothing, and language were believed to have been brought down from the heavens and daily life was replete with rituals connecting man with the divine. Drawing upon ancient China’s Buddhist and Daoist philosophies, Shen Yun says its performances demonstrate “China before communism.”
The Shen Yun performance with the incorporation of therapeutic “color” and “sound” was “absolutely fascinating … but also meditative as well,” she said.
Inspired by the spirituality and conveyed virtues of traditional Chinese culture, Mrs. Ransome said her main takeaway from the production was the need to express more kindness and compassion.
With the world appearing to be “going through a dark phase,” she said “anywhere we can bring kindness and compassion through I think is really important.”
