VANCOUVER—Dave Gale said Shen Yun Performing Arts was “perfection” in its elegance and artistry, even touching on tough subjects with grace.
That depth of history and tradition was evident in vignettes like the water sleeves dance that Mr. Gale noted, a dance believed to have originated in imperial courts thousands of years ago. But Shen Yun’s vignettes span millennia, and there were also stories set in the modern day, which was an unexpected highlight for Mr. Gale.
“It’s nice to talk about some of the issues that are affecting China ... I love the use of art to talk about these issues because it’s not just pointing a finger,” Mr. Gale said.
“It’s eye-opening, so it’s not just ridiculing somebody,” Mr. Gale explained. “It’s bringing light to it.”
Also inspired by the performance was Alexandra Black, a retired banking executive, who said the “concept of freedom” Shen Yun expressed spoke to her heart and soul.
“The beauty, the music, the international kindness—I mean, it’s the desires of everyone’s soul,” she said.
Ms. Black said the “beauty and expression of the soul” of the artists was “very inspirational ... amazing.”
“The message is an energetic message of beauty and divine and caring, sharing in one humanity. We all have the same spirit, and we all have the same soul,” she said. “I think it’s in the music, it’s in the kindness, it’s in the facial expression of all the people. It’s undeniable. The energy comes across.”
