NANTES, France—On Tuesday, Feb. 17, the former capital of the Dukes of Brittany resonated with the warm and soothing sounds of the Shen Yun orchestra.
For Mardi Gras, a day of celebration in the French Carnival tradition, Raphaël Garcia came to experience Shen Yun with his daughter, Lilou, at the Cité des Congrès in Nantes.
Father and daughter were impressed by the dancers’ acrobatics. Classical Chinese dance, the foundation of Shen Yun’s performances, is one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world. It draws its many techniques from thousands of years of ethnic and folk dances, street theater, and imperial court dances. Classical Chinese dance combines traditional postures and fundamental movements with acrobatics such as twists, pirouettes, and jumps.
“That’s impressive! You talk about acrobatics, the presenter mentioned pirouettes. It’s dynamic,” Raphaël Garcia said.
“I really like the interactive screen behind the dancers,” Lilou said enthusiastically, discovering the special effects of the animated digital backdrop, which allowed the dancers to move between the screen and the stage.
The production management engineer said he was also moved by Shen Yun’s music, which combines the sounds of a Western symphony orchestra with those of traditional Eastern instruments.
Raphael Garcia particularly appreciated the pipa, a type of Chinese lute, as well as the erhu, a two-stringed fiddle that can reproduce an infinite range of sounds, expressing nuances and emotions. “It’s very beautiful!” said the engineer.
Journey to the West and the Spiritual Dimension
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, which is deeply imbued with spirituality. Indeed, the ancient Chinese believed in a culture passed down by the gods, thus placing the connection to the divine at the heart of their daily lives.“I think it’s good, the show conveys messages, and you learn a lot about this culture,” agreed Mr. Garcia. The engineer was also moved by the connection to the divine, particularly in the dance scene “The Birth of the Monkey King,” inspired by the famous novel “Journey to the West.” This classic of Chinese literature from the 16th century recounts the adventures of the monk Tang Taizong and his quest for Buddhist scriptures in India.
“I had heard about the legend of the Monkey King, but the show allows you to learn a little more, both mythologically and spiritually,” said Mr. Garcia.
Reporting by Sarita Modmesaïb and translated from the French language Epoch Times by Sonia Rouleau.
