TOURS, France—History-loving journalist Frédérick Gersal and his wife, Sabine Legras, were among the audience for Shen Yun’s first performance of its tour at the Palais des Congrès in Tours on Valentine’s Day Eve. They both experienced many positive emotions while watching the sold-out classical Chinese dance show.
“Amazing, wonderful,” exclaimed Mr. Gersal during the intermission of the show that transported him through 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture.
With children and grandchildren living in Hong Kong, the journalist and former columnist for Télématin on France 2, along with his wife, Sabine, are “very keenly aware of the Chinese world.”
“The dancers and musicians are absolutely amazing. The singers are incredible,” Mr. Gersal said. “And the presenters!” he added cheerfully.
Each performance is hosted by two bilingual presenters—one Western and one Chinese—who briefly introduce each scene and help the audience better understand the story, culture, and dance presented.
For her part, Ms. Legras praised “a beautiful show, performed by magnificent dancers.” She particularly appreciated “the great grace that emanates from it, the sumptuous costumes that inspire dreams,” adding that they had “had a wonderful time.”
Mr. Gersal was deeply moved by the performance. “I cried the whole time,” he says. He adds: “It’s grace, as my wife said, the dancers, the scenes. And then it tells a story. I’m a journalist and historian, so I know Chinese history, which is little known. And so it takes me on a journey with the emperors, with the Mongols. All of this touched me deeply as someone with that cultural background.”
Ms. Legras also experienced “a lot of emotion.” “What’s more, the artists are very good at miming and storytelling. And that transported us. It was a dreamlike moment, a wonderful time spent together.”
“And this setting, into which artists can enter and transport us through time and space, is absolutely magical,” the journalist said.
The name Shen Yun Performing Arts literally means “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” It evokes the charm, grace, and spiritual inspiration conveyed through classical Chinese dance.
“The divine is very present [in the show],” Ms. Legras said. “It’s also very important in our lives.”
“Not only is the Buddha present, but there is also this sun that overwhelms us every time,” explains Frédérick Gersal. “And then, there is nature, the mountains, the rivers—all of this clearly shows us that the divine is present in the show and also in our bodies, in the way we ourselves are made, we human beings.”
The positive side of the stories told on stage touched the journalist.
“Always look on the bright side of things. Always help those who are less fortunate, those who are in difficulty, or suffering from illness. It’s clear to see that even older gentlemen give of their strength and talent to help younger people, helping them to navigate life and grow.”
Ms. Legras finds the values conveyed by Shen Yun to be important. “It’s about passing on values, what shapes our history, our conception of humanity and the past, because China has nearly 5,000 years of extraordinary history. And when you see the place it occupies in the news today, you realize that its history is set to continue for millennia to come. So I think this show will continue for hundreds of years to come, because we need it,” said the historian.
“This show brings us all together as one, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to experience an adventure like this. Especially since, as we were reminded on stage tonight, it’s a different show every year.”
Indeed, Shen Yun Performing Arts offers an entirely new program each year, with new choreography, music, costumes, and stories, providing a different experience each season.
