OTTAWA, Canada—It was the second time that actress and model Nadja David came to watch Shen Yun Performing Arts, and she was once again fascinated by the performance.
“Every time the curtain opens it’s just beautiful, it takes my breath away,” said Ms. David who took in the performance at the National Arts Centre on Friday night.
New York based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, touring five continents with a mission to revive 5,000 years of civilization.
Ms. David is a Montreal-based actress trained in theatre and now focuses on television work. She’s had parts in several Canadian productions including a stint on Just For Laughs (Juste pour rire).
“The dancers are incredible, so talented, so agile, very strong,” she said.
“I like to sometimes watch one individual dancer, but also the magic that happens with everybody together. It’s just amazing.”
Shen Yun is known for its large scale dances and intricate choreography. Ms. David noted the dancers’ dedication.
Classical Chinese dance, which has a history of thousands of years, is one of the most expressive dance forms in the world, allowing the performers to portray scenes and characters from any time period.
As part of its repertoire, Shen Yun features a number of story-based dances that are based on the wealth of Chinese classical tales and mythology. Some dances deal with current issues, but many have a comical element.
“There was a lot of humour, which is fun, I really enjoyed that.”
Ms. David was also impressed by the folk and ethnic dances. “I like to learn from that,” she said. One such performance that struck her was “Mongolian Chopsticks,” which depicts Mongolian men celebrating life with a traditional chopstick dance.
Ms. David said she was grateful for the opportunity to see the performance, and had one message for Shen Yun: “Thank you so much.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Madalina Hubert
Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company will present two more performances in Ottawa until Jan. 4 before moving on to Montreal on Jan. 6. For more information or to buy tickets, visit: www.shenyun.com
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.
