BIRMINGHAM, UK—A Polish family was eager to experience Shen Yun Performing Arts at The ICC Birmingham on Jan. 3. Berenika Kara, an auditor for a large logistics corporation, attended the performance with her mother and nan.
“It’s the first time I’m seeing it. My mum booked the tickets for the three of us: me, my mum, and my Nan. We are originally from Poland,” Ms. Kara said.
Poland threw off communist rule decades ago, but Ms. Kara said that many still remember what it was like in her country. “We also remember communism. I was little. I was there. But it’s my mum and my nan who remember it very well.”
“It’s a really great experience for us to see a bit of traditional China and how it was before the authoritarian [communist] regime,” she said.
Ms. Kara noted there is so much more to Chinese culture—the values, music, art, and spirituality—“because [it isn’t part of] the China that we know these days.”
Ms. Kara especially appreciated the artistic elements of the performance. “I don’t dance myself, but I really appreciate the nice art. I myself studied literature,” he said.
She agreed that it is very important to revive traditional Chinese culture. “I think it’s very important because it’s all about authenticity, isn’t it? ... It’s about the authenticity of the culture, and how it evolved.”
“I can understand where it comes from, because there were times in history when religion was doing lots of bad things and dominating the world. But I think we have now switched too much to the other side. We need to come back and connect to our inner world,” Ms. Kara said. “And this type of art experience reminds us of it.”
“It reminds us that there’s something more than just what our senses can perceive. It’s equally important to look after not only our outside world but also our inner world.”
