MISSISSAUGA, Canada—Shen Yun Performing Arts enchanted the matinee audience at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on March 23.
David Dich, whose signage company is a corporate sponsor of Shen Yun, is in the business of producing and installing street banners across Toronto to promote festivals and other events.
“[Shen Yun] is great,” he said.
“The dancers are very talented, and the stories are all very deep and meaningful. It’s beautifully choreographed.”
Each story carried deep meanings, he said. “The meaning behind the stories, even the small one with the restaurant had a lot of meaning behind it, too. Not just the cleaning, but there was a little bit more to it.”
“I think it’s wonderful, because I’m not a fan of communism. I think it’s a story that should be told. Not everybody here will know what it is, so the more the messaging gets out, the more the stories are told, and the people here will understand what the problem with it is.”
Besides the story about the workers at a restaurant, Mr. Dich highlighted another dance story that made a deep impression on him, about modern-day persecution under communist rule in China.
As a corporate supporter, Mr. Dich said he hopes Shen Yun will return and continue to perform in many different cities. “I think it’s a great thing. I definitely endorse it. It’s wonderful to see them back every year and in different cities like the Mississauga show.“
“They travel all over the world, and they just do performance after performance. It looks so easy, but that’s probably years of practice just to get something like this.”
Composer Likes Spiritual Message in Shen Yun’s Music
The Whatford family, Grant, Janice, and their daughter Zoe, were among the audience that enjoyed the Shen Yun performance at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga on March 23.As a composer, Mr. Whatford was especially impressed by Shen Yun’s musicianship. “I play electric bass, I’m a composer, and I used to have a band, so I appreciate the music,” he said.
Mr. Whatford shared his feeling that Shen Yun’s music has a divine quality that purifies the soul. “Music can be that way, for sure. Absolutely,” he said. “It complements the spiritual [message] and the theatrical [production] and the visual presentation perfectly.”
Mrs. Whatford pointed to a dance story that involved shadow puppets. “It’s really fantastic. I really enjoy the shadow puppets. It just comes alive in a different way. I love the story. I love the story of life.”
“It’s a very spiritual show,” she added. Referring to some of the negative messages prevalent in the world today, she commented that “the message of atheism kills hope.”
Mr. Whatford said, “I like the idea of the [song lyrics] saying that atheism, like my wife said, is the death of hope, because we’re Christians and we understand that to be true.”
Mrs. Whatford said she supports “the spirit behind the whole message of speaking about the persecution that still goes on in China and bringing it alive here. It’s a way of not fighting back, but it’s speaking truth out, so I’m really appreciating that.”
“The music’s fantastic,” he said. “It’s excellent. The orchestra is wonderful. Compliments to the whole theater production. The singer, he was excellent. The piano player and the singer were excellent. They are wonderful musicians.”
