“It was wonderful, so wonderful,” said Simma Holt, a journalist, author, and former member of Parliament, who made a name for herself as an intrepid reporter when there were few women working in the profession.
In 1996, Ms. Holt received Canada’s highest civilian honour when she was made a member of the Order of Canada. One of her five books, Terror in the Name of God, was a worldwide bestseller and made her Canada’s Woman of the Year.
“The choreography is so beautiful, and the orchestra was wonderful,” she added.
Ms. Holt is known as a passionate crusader against injustice, be it uncovering evidence that would save a career total of three wrongly-accused men facing the death penalty or speaking out for persecuted people’s around the world, including Falun Gong practitioners.
Shen Yun includes two acts depicting the persecution of Falun Gong in China, a cause near and dear to Ms. Holt’s heart. She praised the Falun Gong community for its efforts to combat human rights abuses in China.
“The Falun Gong are the most wonderful people and they come from all over the world.”
Accompanying Ms. Holt was friend and fundraiser Dvori Balshine, a active member of the Jewish community and fundraiser who helps the Louis Brier Home and Hospital in Vancouver and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
“It was a fantastic show, really an amazing show. The dance, the expression, the back[drop]. It was amazing,” said Balshine.
Shen Yun’s performances make innovative use of an animated backdrop which provides a living scene in which each dance unfolds.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to be here tonight. It was a beautiful, beautiful show. The costumes, the expression, the music, everything was superb. Tomorrow I’m going to send an email to all my friends to come in the next few days, because I don’t want them to miss it.”
Also attending the show on Saturday was Clive Ansley, a highly-regarded human rights lawyer who is among the few Westerners to litigate in China.
“It’s just wonderful,” said Mr. Ansley, who said it was his second time to see the show.
“ I particularly liked the vocalists. And the erhu I really loved. I think the particular [dances] dealing with the [Falun Gong] persecution were very moving as well, and I hope they would be moving to people that don’t know much about Falun Gong, or much about what’s going on in China, and about the crimes of the Chinese government.”
Mr. Ansley said the show had added significance because of the way the authoritarian regime in China has manipulated and distorted Chinese performing arts to serve its own needs.
“The fact that you have a traveling [company] like this one, in fact, this is one of three of them, traveling throughout the world outside of China, uncensored, and portraying Chinese culture without any political overtones. I think that you can’t exaggerate the significance of that.”
Shen Yun will conclude its Vancouver run on Wednesday and then move on to Calgary, Edmonton, and Regina.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org