LONDON, U.K.—Shen Yun Performing Arts gave a stirring performance at London’s Eventim Apollo on Feb. 1.
Anton and Lauren van Heerden enjoyed the performance, with Mrs. Van Heerden saying: “Oh, it’s lovely. The dancing is very spectacular, visually appealing.”
The van Heerdens heard about Shen Yun’s performance online and through many adverts. “So we just had to come and see for ourselves,” said Mrs. Van Heerden.
“Spectacular. It fits in seamlessly, especially when they jump off the stage from the back and fly away. The timing is perfect.”
Chinese culture is inspired by the heavens, and the beginning sequence presents the Creator coming to save humanity.
“For me, I’m Christian, so it resonates with my (faith),” Mrs. Van Heerden said. “It has a good feeling. It’s got a positive feeling.”
Mr. van Heerden liked the stories about faith and morals that worked seamlessly with the dances. “It’s great,” he said. “I like the theme. [They are] very good stories.”
‘It’s Just Perfect’
“It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful,” said Ms. King.
“I’ve watched it on the television and keep seeing it advertised. And I’ve wanted to come for a long time. Then, finally, we’ve got here tonight.”
She was amazed at the dancers’ perfection.
“It’s so precise. I do not know how they can practice that much to have everything so perfect. You never see that,” she said. “There’s always someone that’s a little bit out [in other shows]. But [Shen Yun] is not. It’s just perfect. It’s wonderful.”
“I’m just piecing it all together in my head while you listen to the story. Obviously, you see it on television; they give you a snippet. And, oh, it’s China before communism, and I’ve been to China. And it’s just wonderful to see exactly.
“And all I’m thinking about is the people, how it should be and how they should be living, and how beautiful it was. How life should be so much more serene. It shouldn’t be so stressed as it is these days. And I love it. I’m loving watching the freedom of life,” she said.
“Fantastic. I’m loving it ... I want to find out more.”
She said they wanted to come back and see Shen Yun again.
To the performers, Ms. King said. “What a wonderful job they’re doing. Lovely. Fantastic.”
‘Very Well Drilled’
Nicholas Peters, an art director, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts with his father, Roger Peters, an attorney.
“Absolutely loving it,” Nicholas said.
Both father and son liked the Mongolian cowboys. “Very well drilled,” Roger said. Nicholas expanded: “Very well drilled, amazing athleticism, beautiful.”
As an art director, Nicholas was pleased with the artistic direction of the performance.
“Amazingly vibrant, beautiful. Love the costumes. I think the color is the thing that’s really been driven into me. It looks amazing. I shall be taking it into the work that I do tomorrow.”
He also liked the animated backdrop as it worked with the dances. “The animation is great ... [The way] the features in the background are brought to life for the actors coming onto the stage works really well.”
Roger agreed about the backdrops, calling them incredible
The colors stayed in Nicholas’s thoughts. “I think of the spectrum of color. I didn’t realize that the color would be quite as vibrant as that. So that’s the thing that I'll take with me. Brilliant.”
