(Minghui.org) During the week of March 18, Shen Yun’s touring companies continued to present stories and values from pre-communist China to audiences in Australia, Europe, and North America.
Shen Yun Completes Australia Tour
After performing to a sold-out crowd at His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth on March 23, Shen Yun New York Company concluded its 31-show, six-city Australia tour.
Shen Yun New York Company at a sold-out house at His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth, Australia, on March 21. The company presented seven performances in Perth March 19–23, all to full houses. (The Epoch Times)
Annelie Wressmark, group editor at Sage Media Group, at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 21 (The Epoch Times)
Annelie Wressmark, group editor at Sage Media Group, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 21.
“The performance was very appealing. It gave me a different perspective of the theater field... Shen Yun was eye-opening,” Ms. Wressmark said. “The entire performance was divine.”
Members of Western Australia’s Legislative Council: “It’s Got to Be Global”
Shen Yun New York Company’s curtain call at His Majesty’s Theatre on March 19 (The Epoch Times)
Peter Collier, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council and Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts, at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 19 (NTD Television)
Peter Collier, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council and Shadow Minister for Culture and the Arts, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 19.
“That’s a living, breathing manifestation of everything that Chinese culture is about,” said Mr. Collier, who is also the opposition leader in the legislative council and Shadow Minister for Police.
For the past two years, he has been trying to bring Shen Yun to Western Australia. This was the first time since 2019 that the company visited Perth after years of difficulties securing theaters due to interference from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Mr. Collier, who said he “had a great respect and love for Chinese culture and history,” was one of the people pushing to help the show break through these barriers.
“I fought for this... I fought to get it here in Western Australia,” Mr. Collier said. He said he was “delighted with the outcome. We must never ever, ever forget the real Chinese culture. As much as you can try to take that from the very people that lived for 5,000 years in this respect, we mustn’t.
“We must be brave, we must be bold, we must be noble, and we must put Chinese culture out there at the forefront. Because when we try to eradicate that, we give up on life. The fact that that is so poignant in tonight’s performance is an example of exactly why Shen Yun has got to keep going. It’s got to be global. It’s got to go right around the world, and it’s got to be consistent,” he said.
Wilson Tucker, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 19 (Screenshot from NTD Television)
Wilson Tucker, a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for the Mining and Pastoral Region, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 19.
“It’s obviously very visual and fantastic choreography and costumes. So I think it can appeal to everyone,” said Mr. Tucker. “The timing is fantastic... I’ve been thoroughly impressed.”
Benjamin Dawkins, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 19 (NTD Television)
Benjamin Dawkins, a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council for the South West Region, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 19.
“It’s just beautiful and very spiritual,” Mr. Dawkins said.
“Very beautiful style of dance and costumes. And it’s very easy to lay back and let it wash over you. It’s very easy to watch,” he said.
Neil Thomson, Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council and Shadow Treasurer and Minister for the Environment, at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 21 (NTD Television)
Neil Thomson MLC, Western Australia’s shadow treasurer and shadow environment minister, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 21.
“It’s colorful, joyous, and very gentle in terms of the delicacy that was presented... It was a wonderful experience,” Mr. Thomson said. “The dancing [had] such a beautiful message... It was certainly very moving.
“There was some very important messages there, and I think it’s important that the people that were here today share those messages. I think it’s all about the kindness that we should show... and also the sharing of different cultures [and] cultural experiences.
“It’s absolutely a privilege to be here today,” he said.
City Councillor: “I Really Hope that You Come Back Again”
Bayswater Councillor Sally Palmer at the Shen Yun performance in Perth on March 20 (NTD Television)
Sally Palmer, Councillor for the City of Bayswater, saw Shen Yun in Perth on March 20.
Grateful for a cultural immersion into 5,000 years of the Middle Kingdom, Ms. Palmer thanked Shen Yun for its “beauty, [spirituality], and physicality” and for “coming from New York over to our lovely city of Perth.”
She said that Shen Yun and the stories it shares are not just promoting music, song, and dance, but a whole spiritual culture. “It’s very beautiful... very beautiful indeed,” she said.
“It has a spiritual meaning and a strength that needs to be shown to others. It is wisdom.
“It was really good to see you bring forth exactly what’s going on and exactly why you need the Western world to be hopeful with you in bringing that spirituality and 5,000 years back into play,” Ms. Palmer said.
She added that she would now go and tell her fellow council members about her experience. “I think [Shen Yun] explained so well in how Buddhism and the light of life can be brought back to earth and then back to heaven. I thought that was absolutely marvelous,” she said.
The councillor added that just like in China, in modern Western society, we hardly see people talking about heaven and spirituality anymore.
“You can watch television all day, and you won’t see it,” she lamented. “But we did see it here, and I was very happy to take part of that. I feel that educating the young people about not just normal scientific [thinking] but spirituality and why we’re here, that was wonderful. In all the little stories that you gave, it was always goodness and spirituality.
“We all sat there listening, taking it in, understanding, and we all left, I think, as better people,” she said.
Ms. Palmer also remarked on the professionalism of the “magnificent” young performers. “They seem to be genuinely dancing for good reason, not just doing it methodically but with spirit, and I think that is really, really good,” she said.
“I really hope that you come back again,” Ms. Palmer said of Shen Yun.
Shen Yun Continues European and North American Tours
Shen Yun World Company at the Danuta Baduszkowa Musical Theater in Gdynia, Poland, on the evening of March 19. The company presented three sold-out performances in Gdynia on March 18 and 19. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun World Company at the Musical Theater Basel in Basel, Switzerland, on March 22. The company presented four sold-out performances in Basel March 22–24. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun North America Company at a packed house at The Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California, on March 24. The company presented three performances in Santa Barbara on March 23 and 24. (NTD Television)
Shen Yun Global Company at Shea's Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, New York, on the afternoon of March 24. The company presented two performances in Buffalo on March 23 and 24. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun International Company at a sold-out house at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Canada, on March 24. The company presented five performances in Mississauga March 22–26, all to full theaters. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New World Company at a packed house at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 22. The company presented seven performances (including one added) in Salt Lake City March 20–24. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Concludes Four-city Spain Tour
After performing at the Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao, Shen Yun New Era Company concluded its Spain tour. This season, Shen Yun presented thirteen performances in four Spanish cities: San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Logroño, Sevilla, and Bilbao. All performances were presented to full theaters. Because demand far exceeded seats available for originally scheduled performances, the local presenter added several shows as well as seats with partially obstructed view.
Shen Yun New Era Company at a sold-out house at the Palacio Euskalduna in Bilbao on March 23 (The Epoch Times)
Legislator: “I Recommend Every Person to Come See It”
Amaia Martínez Grisaleña, Member of the Basque Parliament, at the Shen Yun performance in Bilbao on March 23 (NTD Television)
Amaia Martínez Grisaleña, a member of the Basque Parliament, saw Shen Yun in Bilbao on March 23.
“I recommend every person to come see it,” she said.
“One is the performance itself. The performers were extremely precise. They were precise like a Swiss watch. The performance was magnificent and light. The music left a deep impression. Another is the message in the performance. This gave me a deep feeling, which revealed what communism is... I think all these artists, all the people involved in this show, whether on stage or behind the scene, are truly brave. Even the word brave isn’t enough to describe them,” she said.
Canadian Elected Officials Welcome Shen Yun
Shen Yun launched its Canada tour on March 20 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company presented seven performances March 20–25. This was Shen Yun’s sixteenth year visiting Vancouver. Prior to the performances, the performing arts company received congratulatory remarks from local elected officials.
Shen Yun Touring Company at a packed house at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on the afternoon of March 23 (The Epoch Times)
Letter from Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., K.C., Member of Parliament for South Surrey—White Rock
Remark from Elizabeth May, O.C., Member of Parliament for Saanich—Gulf Islands and the leader of the Green Party of Canada
Letter from Brad Vis, Member of Parliament for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon
Remark from Ed Fast, P.C., K.C., Member of Parliament for Abbotsford
Letter from Rick Glumac, Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Port Moody–Coquitlam
Shen Yun also received remarks from: Mayor Brad West of Port Coquitlam, Mayor Mark Sager of West Vancouver, Mayor Dan Ruimy of Maple Ridge, Mayor Megan Knight of White Rock, Mayor Barbara Desjardins of Township of Esquimalt, Mayor Sharie Minions of Port Alberni, Mayor John R. Henderson of Sechelt, Mayor Surinderpal Rathor of Williams Lake, and Mayor Tom Dyas of Kelowna.
Founder of American Folk Ensemble: “I Hope They Continue Forever”
Nate Keller (fourth from left), founder of the American Folk Ensemble and president of the Utah Valley Symphony, and his family at the Shen Yun performance in Salt Lake City on March 22 (The Epoch Times)
Nate Keller, the founder of the American Folk Ensemble and the president of the Utah Valley Symphony, and his family saw Shen Yun in Salt Lake City on March 22.
“The performance is spectacular. Very polished. I loved the music—the live music is very cohesive. You can hear all the different instruments; it’s just spectacular,” he exclaimed.
“The artistry, it’s perfect. The [dancers’] movements are so fluid, it’s seamless. Also, in terms of technology, it’s incredible because they have the screen and all the interaction with the digital [backdrop.] It’s just a feast visually.
“I especially loved the music because it was classical. It sounded like a recording because it was so well connected. It’s interesting how they mix the pipa and the erhu in with other traditional symphonic instruments, and it just works. I like how they did that, combining the folk with the classical,” he said.
He was also touched by many of Shen Yun’s story-based dances because “it’s very connected to the human experience.
“We’ve been to China to perform in a [Shanghai] festival, so we’ve seen some of [China’s] traditional dances but what’s special [in Shen Yun] is that they’re portraying the divine nature of people,” Mr. Keller expressed.
“In [present-day] China—they’re not open to religious beliefs and spirituality. So, I think it’s important to note that for 5,000 years in their culture, they’ve had this, and this has been their tradition. The dancing, the music—that’s the tradition of the people, the culture,” he said.
He would love to one day see Shen Yun bring that spirituality back to China. “To be able to express that in a place like America, where we came here for religious freedoms, it’s nice. So, I think it would be beautiful for it to continue here and in other places where it is accepted and then maybe, go back to China and have them re-grasp their old roots of spirituality.”
Mr. Keller added that he thought Shen Yun’s mission is very important because “today, there’s so much technology out there. For children especially, there are video games and all these things that are competing with them to learn music and understand and appreciate culture.
“[Shen Yun] is very important because it’s exciting and the delivery is wonderful. So, for children to see this—and really anyone—it brings them to something that’s important and needs to be sustained over time,” he said.
“I’m grateful that excellence like this exists and that [the artists are] willing to come out and tour so that all of us can see it. It’s a lot of hard work, and I know this because I do these kinds of things. It takes a lot of effort and it’s more of a labor of love than probably a money-making venture. It’s important for them to do this and I hope they continue forever,” Mr. Keller said.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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