EDINBURGH, Scotland—The first Shen Yun performance in Edinburgh was met with an enthusiastic response on April 8, 2009.
A property investor from Dublin, Ireland, Ms. Walsh, enjoyed the performance. She said it was “Excellent—a lovely combination of music and dance and color.” Dublin is 343 kilometres from Edinburgh.
She thought that the “artistry and the instrumentation” were well done.
“I also thought that it really represented the very best of Chinese culture, as well as Falun Gong—great positive [message about] Falun Gong. Wonderful, magical performance,” she added.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is depicted in the show. It is a meditation and self-improvement practice similar to qigong, but it is persecuted in China. A dance in the performance depicts the grievous human rights situation that Falun Dafa practitioners in China face.
She said, “I thought the piece where the father was persecuted for practicing Falun Gong was very poignant and moving [Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution].”
A father tries to shield his wife and child when thugs from the communist regime assault him. Though the story is tragic, it has a message of hope and strength.
Also she found the “combination of athleticism and artistry” to be “wonderful.” Classical Chinese dance encompasses a broad spectrum of movements that allows the performer to be especially expressive.
She added that Dublin would be very happy to receive Shen Yun, saying they would get a “very warm reception.”
“The two stringed solo piece” [the erhu] also impressed her. Wonderful piece of musical artistry—magical.”
Of the dances in the show, she found the first performance The Five Millenia Begin to be her favorite. This dance shows the legend of the Yellow Emperor setting 5,000 years of Chinese history in motion.
She said, “The opening scene was wonderful, because you were working from a clean palate—you didn’t know what to expect. And it was a combination of a moving sea of bodies, colors, and music, and it was a wonderful introduction.”
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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