TORONTO—Jean Clinton, a professor, traveled to Toronto to see Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 6 and thoroughly enjoyed the show.
“It was absolutely out of this world,” Ms. Clinton said. “The dancing, the music was so fascinating, [and] the expressiveness, so feminine in the beautiful women dancers—that you could follow the story, which is from 5,000 years ago. Absolutely brilliant,” Ms. Clinton said.
“And one of the things I really loved was the combination of the Western music and the Chinese music. I think those musicians were absolutely outstanding.”
New York-based
Shen Yun was founded by leading Chinese artists in 2006 and quickly became the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Now with eight equally sized companies that tour the world simultaneously, Shen Yun is on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture and the beauty of “China before communism.”
Ms. Clinton was impressed that Shen Yun puts on an all-new program every year. The music, however, was what really left a deep impression on her. Shen Yun performs with a live orchestra that combines traditional Chinese and Western instruments. Among the Chinese instruments is the
erhu, a two-stringed instrument featured in a solo performance on stage.
“Two strings, making all of that contrast [and] speed—unbelievable,“ Ms. Clinton said. ”I was blown away. ... Just really, really stunning.”
According to the Shen Yun website, the ancient Chinese believed that
their culture was inspired by the heavens. Ms. Clinton said she could see this same inspiration in the Shen Yun performance.
“That spirit of inspiration and the movement was divine,” she said. “Just out of this world—fantastic.”
The values presented in the performance, such as truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, touched Ms. Clinton as well.
“Compassion is just so very important,” she said. “That is feeling for another and actually acting on it. ... And then truth, to understand where the right direction, the good life comes from, is just so important.”
Ms. Clinton said she would recommend
Shen Yun to everyone.
“If you can come and experience this, [you'll] experience the kindness, the truth, the reconciliation. As you look at that and immerse yourself, understand that
Shen Yun is the expression, the movement, and the being of the body. You'll see just how marvelous the human spirit can absolutely be,” she said.
“I would absolutely, without a doubt, recommend it to all.”
Reporting by NTD and Wandi Zhu.
