PERTH, Australia—Helga Lucas, a real estate company manager, eagerly joined her father and sister at His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth on March 20 to experience Shen Yun Performing Arts, a captivating showcase of classical Chinese dance and music.
“It was my father, who used to teach in China, that brought my sister and I to the show,” she said.
Ms. Lucas found herself spellbound by the vibrant colours and quality of the performance.
“It’s been really lovely seeing so much colour and the sophistication of all the dancing. I haven’t seen anything quite like this before. I didn’t really know what to expect. I did expect a bit of colour but it was colour ten times over,” she said.
“As a kid, I watched Monkey King and all those, so that particular story really resonated with me,” she said.
“It’s very different to our culture here as Westerners. We’re less steeped in the supernatural in certain ways but I like it,” she said.
Father Praises Educational Value of Shen Yun
He valued the opportunity for his children to gain insight into traditional Chinese culture at His Majesty’s Theatre on March 20.
“Australia has a lot of Chinese people here; we have Chinese restaurants and things, but it’s not actually being part of the culture,” he said. “So to see some of the dancing, I think it’s good for them and opens their eyes to another culture.”
When asked about whether he would recommend the show, he was enthusiastic: “Definitely! Even my 10-year-old asked if they [Shen Yun] come every year and if we could come next year.”
Founded in 2006 by New York-based artists, Shen Yun Performing Arts comprises eight equally-sized companies scheduled to grace over 200 cities this year alone.
