TORONTO—Shen Yun New York Company’s return to Toronto on June 25 drew many eager audience members to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts after an earlier interruption to its scheduled performances. Among the Chinese audience members was a former journalist for the Chinese military newspaper, who chose to remain anonymous and said she came specifically to support the company.

“I think the stage production, the dancing, and the music were all very professional,” she said. “The performers are true artists. There’s no question about that. Everyone performed wonderfully, and the entire production was excellent.”

She said that the dance piece “How the Monkey King Came to Be” left a deep impression on her.

She also enjoyed seeing audience members from different backgrounds respond warmly to the performance.

“I was sitting in front of many Western audience members, and I could hear waves of laughter throughout the theater,” she said. “That was really touching.”

The former journalist said the performance showcased the enduring appeal of China’s rich cultural heritage.

“Chinese culture itself is incredibly attractive,” she said. “It has such a long history. I think it is a history that Chinese people should be proud of.”

Yet much of China’s traditional culture was systematically destroyed after the Chinese Communist Party came to power. Shen Yun seeks to revive the country’s 5,000-year-old civilization by bringing to the stage the values, legends, and artistic traditions of China before communism.

“It was clearly an act of sabotage. It was a classic example of the Chinese Communist Party’s unrestricted warfare tactics,” she said. “With virtually no cost to itself, it was able to use intimidation to bring all six performances to a halt.”

“That’s one of the main reasons I came this time—I wanted to support the performance. I told myself that no matter what happened, I had to come. I wanted to pay for my own ticket because I felt I should support Shen Yun.”

She was delighted that Shen Yun was ultimately able to return to Toronto.

“I’m very happy that Shen Yun was finally able to come back,” she said. “I think this is a response to those who tried to stop it. Despite all those underhanded methods, Shen Yun still came and performed. Today, you can see how many people came to support the company, and the performance was very successful.”

She expressed hope that one day Shen Yun would be able to perform freely in China.

“Of course it should return to China,” she said. “Whether that can happen is something we all need to work toward. China belongs to all its people, not to any particular political power.”

At the same time, she said that she believes Shen Yun’s continued success overseas is already significant.

“Being able to perform overseas under these circumstances is, in itself, a success,” she said.

She said what impressed her most was not only the artistic quality of the performances, but also the artists’ perseverance.

“China doesn’t lack artists,” she said. “What it lacks are courageous artists. Even under tremendous pressure, Shen Yun continues to perform overseas, and the artistic standard it presents is so exquisite. That is something truly worthy of recognition.”

She added that every member of the company demonstrated exceptional artistry.

“The female dancers were beautiful, the male dancers’ technique was outstanding, and everyone on stage was an artist,” she said. “The orchestra members are artists as well. Their artistic standard is very high. The music was truly beautiful.”

She concluded with a message of encouragement for the performers.

“I hope they will continue their efforts,” she said. “They are a company that is truly worthy of our pride.”