(Minghui.org) The seven touring companies of Shen Yun Performing Arts presented 26 performances in nine cities in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and the United States from March 28 to April 4, 2022.
The Shen Yun New York Company at The ICC Birmingham–Hall 1 in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on April 3. The company presented five sold-out shows in Birmingham March 31–April 3. (The Epoch Times)
The Shen Yun Global Company at the sold-out performance at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Canada, on March 29. The company presented five performances in Mississauga March 25–29. (The Epoch Times)
The Shen Yun New Era Company at The Palace Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, on March 31. The company presented five performances in Stamford March 31–April 3. (The Epoch Times)
The Shen Yun World Company at the Theater Orpheus in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, on April 3. The company presented two performances in Apeldoorn on April 3 and 4. Tickets were sold out several days before the performances. (The Epoch Times)
The Shen Yun Touring Company at the sold-out performance at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington, on April 3. The company presented two sold-out performances in Seattle on April 2 and 3 and returned on April 7 for more performances. (The Epoch Times)
City Council Vice President: “The Real China”
Jim and Sherry Smith at the Shen Yun performance in Seattle, Washington, on April 2. (NTD Television)
Jim Smith, the Vice President of the Lynnwood City Council and the Chief Executive Officer of UNICAM entertainment, and his wife Sherry saw Shen Yun in Seattle, Washington, on April 2.
“The performance is very enlightening to know more and more about the five thousand years of the Chinese culture. It gives us hope for the future. For this country and the rest of the world that we have Shen Yun here to bring this to us,” Mr. Smith said.
“The way the whole presentation goes up from beginning to end, it just keeps that theme going over and over again. We love it. We absolutely love it,” he said.
Mrs. Smith also shared her impression. “It’s just amazing to me. The dancers, the way they can move, the costumes—was just so beautiful,” she said.
She was especially impressed by Shen Yun’s backdrops. “Oh, that was amazing! How they would jump out of the scene and then jump into it. I love that. I thought that was so cool,” she said.
“The dancers, it doesn’t seem like the human body can do all that. And so colorful. It’s like what we see on the commercials, and then what we see in real life is like ten times better. Very very lovely. Very enjoyable,” Mr. Smith continued.
“The music, it’s almost unreal. It’s almost like, I have to look at the orchestra down there... Again, I’m a musician, and they’re perfect. Absolutely perfect. Pretty incredible.
“I think it’s important that, I realize that... Shen Yun started in what, 2006? And I think it’s been very important that they come back and are able to tell people what the real China is all about. Not the CCP, the real China, and the heart of the Chinese people. That’s very important.
“The spirituality, it comes through. You can tell that the heart of the dancers, the heart of the performers, the heart of the orchestra, was bringing out the heart of China,” he said.
Mrs. Smith would like to say Shen Yun’s artists, “Thank you very much. You’re amazing.”
Mr. Smith shared a similar sentiment, “I’d love to have them all come over to the house and have dinner with us sometime. Just to get to know them. They have to be so dedicated. I would love to hear their individual stories, because they’re so good.”
Executive Director of the Toronto Concert Orchestra: “It is Divine”
Kaija Corlazzoli at the Shen Yun performance in Toronto, Canada, on April 3, 2022. (NTD Television)
Kaija Corlazzoli, the executive director of the Toronto Concert Orchestra and the Amici Chamber Ensemble, saw Shen Yun in Toronto on April 3. She called the music of Shen Yun “divine.”
“The orchestra sounds so special, and it accentuates the experience so much. The dancing is extraordinary, but the music is bringing so much to the experience as well, and such unique sounds (are) really transporting us... It is divine,” Ms. Corlazzoli said.
“I’m hearing many special instruments coming through, and so many beautiful notes punctuated perfectly by the dancers... We’re taking a journey here … from Toronto to the Orient, altogether swept up,” she said.
Listening to the music of the orchestra and the solo performance of the erhu virtuoso accompanied by piano, Ms. Corlazzoli said she felt “overwhelmed.”
“I feel very hopeful, especially in these times, to come to experience something so beautiful. It really touches you, between the music and the (erhu) solo. When she was playing on the stage, I was taken to a very beautiful place, especially in this time.
“We need this beauty and we need these experiences that touch our heart, that remind us we are human,” she said.
Ms. Corlazzoli also reflected on the deeper themes in Shen Yun that speak to the connection between art and spirituality. “They talk about divinity a lot. I felt that we were coming close to touch something very special,” she said.
Ms. Corlazzoli also noted the beauty of the dances. “The dancers are so graceful, so beautiful... You see the dancers and there was a tremendous strength.
“It’s just mesmerizing, the combination of the movements, the grace, the colors, everything coming seamlessly together,” she said.
“Phenomenal”
Lawerence McKenna at the Shen Yun performance in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on April 1. (NTD Television)
Lawerence McKenna, a butler who has managed households for Her Majesty, Hitachi, and Jon Bon Jovi, saw Shen Yun in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on April 1. “There’s actually no expression in the English language for this show... It’s phenomenal—every box is ticked, and more that I haven’t even thought of yet,” Mr. McKenna said.
“People have got to see this... My ex-partner is a costume designer. And I’m going to get another program for her so she can see it. She worked with the BBC for 25 years, but this is something else.
“I’ve never been to anything like this before... It was just, wow, that’s all I can say. Whoever has masterminded this deserves an Oscar.”
“They’ve got a perpetual smile. I’d like to know how because I’d love to go to fetch their smile... And they are so, so professional.
“It’s enthralling. I’m going to have beautiful dreams tonight. Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for making my day,” he added.
Law Firm Senior Partner: “Very Pure” and “Very Important”
Philip Sinel at the Shen Yun performance in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on March 31. (The Epoch Times)
Philip Sinel, a senior partner at Sinels Advocates, a law firm, saw Shen Yun in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on March 31. It was his third time seeing a Shen Yun performance. “It’s an insight into another culture. It’s very pure, so it’s good,” Mr. Sinel said.
He recognized that Shen Yun portrays traditional Chinese culture and shares it with the world through the universal languages of music and dance. “It’s very important—it is what part of China stands for when you take out the politics,” he said.
The spiritual themes of Shen Yun’s performance resonated with Mr. Sinel, reminding him of his ability to recall his past reincarnations. Sharing this memory made him quite emotional.
“Well, this is surprising—I can remember my previous incarnations,” he said.
Mr. Sinel also thought that Shen Yun’s revival of Chinese culture’s core values helps people understand the more spiritual aspect of their own lives. “It reminds us that this is all transitory, isn’t it? It’s all transitory, the soul goes on,” he said.
Chinese Immigrant: “Clean and Pure”
Ms. Wang, who operates a financial management company in Toronto, saw Shen Yun in Mississauga, Canada, on March 29.
Ms. Wang from China operates a financial management company in Toronto, and saw Shen Yun in Mississauga, Canada, on March 29.
She praised Shen Yun for its purity and softness. She said that she used to be an atheist. However, after having some life experiences she began to think about questions that she never thought about before, and thought that many things seemed to be prearranged. After watching Shen Yun, she said she understood the meaning of “forbearance.”
“The shows I watched in China were all noisy and irritating. Shen Yun’s music is clean and pure and its softness contains a lot of strength. It’s like the phrase that ancient people said, ‘The top level of compassion has characteristics of water,’ where it gives you the feeling of something being told slowly and eloquently, and at the same time the feelings of passion and excitement are like a roaring waterfall. That feeling is impossible to be put in words. It goes up and down and is full of energy.
“As Shen Yun is touring the world, it can lead the Chinese people to do a lot of thinking during this pandemic. Unless you encounter some issues, you would feel on the surface that everything is at peace. The scene with the tsunami in Shen Yun’s last piece is just like how mankind was destroyed last time, which was by flood. People tend to get lost in the present. Shen Yun lets the Chinese know that you at least have to have respect for the divine.
“Every gesture and movement of the dancers has a meaning and seems to have the divine behind it. It allows people to develop respect for the divine. This is a very good opportunity to let everyone learn the truth. I’ve also told my friends about this show and many of them have actually seen it already. The information keeps spreading,” she said.
President of a Real Estate Developer: “Far Exceeded My Expectations”
Michal Wywrot and his fiancée at the Shen Yun performance in Mississauga, Canada, on March 29.
Michal Wywrot, the president and co-founder of LCH Developments, and his fiancée saw Shen Yun in Mississauga, Canada, on March 29.
“So beautiful! From the costumes to the scenes to the overall story, everything was very excellent. I didn’t know what I would see, but the show really far exceeded my expectations,” Mr. Wywrot said.
He thought the precious part about Shen Yun was how it reflected traditional Chinese culture in its original form.
“This is the biggest difference with other shows. Especially in the present times, people don’t get to see the spirituality and divinity deep down anymore. Shen Yun’s programs truly showed this kind of historic traditional Chinese culture. We can really feel it through the dances and stories. It’s very original and meaningful. It uses this method to let us have a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture.
“You can feel the enthusiasm of each dancer. It’s like there are higher beings and higher energy that kept encouraging them. You can see that they were all full of energy and closely connected, just like a unity,” he said.
German Opera Ballet Dancer and Actor: “Brings Divinity Back to the Secular World”
Dietmar König, opera ballet dancer and actor with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, at the Shen Yun performance in Berlin, Germany, on March 29. (NTD Television)
Dietmar König, an opera ballet dancer and actor with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, saw Shen Yun in Berlin, Germany, on March 29. “Art itself should make people become elevated, and make us become closer to divinity. This art company demonstrated this very well. Shen Yun brings divinity back to the secular world, and allows people to live in peace and compassion, no more wars,” Mr. König said.
“It redeems us from evil. What’s important is that it makes us return to the ancient, divine culture. It makes us remember and think of putting the divine and divinity first, not human desire, greed, and jealousy. Divinity is most important,” he said.
Mr. König said that he felt that he had been awakened. After the performance, he purchased Zhuan Falun from the gift stand.
Company Owners: “Perfect and Loving at the Same Time”
Stephan Eich at the Shen Yun performance in Berlin, Germany, on March 30. (NTD Television)
Sabine Eich-Engelke at the Shen Yun performance in Berlin, Germany, on March 30. (NTD Television)
Stephan Eich and his wife Sabine Eich-Engelke saw Shen Yun in Berlin, Germany, on March 30. This was the fourth time the couple saw Shen Yun.
“Shen Yun’s message is right for our times,” said Mr. Eich, who was a freelance architect and now works as an expert for building damage and owns a property evaluation company. Growing up in a Catholic boarding school, he believes in people’s divine origins and “that we should wake up to be led back into the divine.”
“The images, the art of the dance, I’ve never seen anything so perfect. It is perfect and loving at the same time. It’s colorful and it’s amazing! Everyone has to see it!” But “the best thing is that these beautiful things have a spiritual background,” said Ms. Eich-Engelke, who operates the company alongside Mr. Eich and also has her own public relations company.
“We all come from the Divine and have forgotten how to get there again. We should find our way again, illuminate it,” Mr. Eich said.
Some of the performances touched on the spiritual practice Falun Dafa. Mr. Eich said, “Falun Dafa is a universal path and it is important to show this to the outside world. The world needs just that. The mercy, kindness, and carrying capacity through art is very beautiful and understandable for people.”
For Ms. Eich-Engelke the performances were, “Extraordinary. We will recommend Shen Yun to everyone. It is very spiritual and should definitely be seen by everyone who has the opportunity. Artistic perfection at the highest level. We always look forward to it and it is a must that we see the performances,” she said.
The couple said goodbye with the words "Thank you, see you next year."
Upcoming Performances
Shen Yun continues its 2022 tour with upcoming performances in Boston, Massachusetts, April 9–10; Seattle, Washington, April 9–10; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, April 9–10; Toronto, Canada, April 9–10; Nice, France, April 9–10; Ludwigsburg, Germany, April 9–13; and Sydney, Australia, April 9–17.
For more information on tickets and dates, please visit https://shenyun.com.
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