CURITIBA, Brazil—On March 24, award-winning choreographer Patricia Otto attended Shen Yun’s evening performance at Teatro Guaira. She is also a well-beloved teacher at the theater’s resident ballet company.
This was her first time seeing Shen Yun, and she thought it was beautiful. “Though they’re young dancers, you can see how meticulous they are,” Ms. Otto said.
“This is true not only with the presentation of the dances but the whole production. The costumes, the music, the orchestra—seeing the work they’re doing and how organized the performance was—that’s precious!”
The dancers of Shen Yun Performing Arts are highly trained in classical Chinese dance. Between its multitude of tumbling techniques and its display of gentle grace, it is considered one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world.
Ms. Otto added that she was touched by Shen Yun’s commitment to reviving traditional culture and loved its portrayal of spirituality.
“We’re all connected to the spiritual world. To see the performers bring this information, this message, through dance—that’s very valuable. It gives you a lot to think about.,” she said.In 2006, Shen Yun was established in New York by artists who dreamt of reviving China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.
Through a series of classical, ethnic, folk, and story-based dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun is rediscovering and sharing with the world the lost beauty of pre-communist China.
To meet popular demand, Shen Yun has grown to include eight equally sized companies that tour the world simultaneously each year. The company is slated to visit over 180 cities across five continents in 2023.
A dance teacher herself, Ms. Otto, knows first-hand how much hard work is required to create a show like Shen Yun.
“To achieve results like this, we know how much dedication, work, and effort it took from everyone—from the technical team to the choreographers, dancers, and teachers,” she expressed.“So, all we can do is thank them and wish them a lot of success!”
Reporting by Emmanuele Khouri Schotgues and Jennifer Tseng.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
