(Minghui.org) During the first week of April, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies presented 51 performances in 12 cities in Canada, Denmark, France, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United States.
Shen Yun North America Company at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on April 5. The company presented four performances in Hollywood April 5–7, all to full theaters. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun North America Company at a sold-out house at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 7. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun International Company at a full theater at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Canada, on April 7. The company presented ten performances in Toronto March 30–April 7. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New Era Company at a full theater at the Palais des Congrès de Paris in Paris, France, on April 7. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Global Company at a full house at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York City on the evening of April 7. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Touring Company presented two performances to full theaters at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle, Washington, on April 6. The afternoon performance was sold out. The company presented seven performances in Seattle April 3–7. (The Epoch Times)
“The Show Is on a Higher Calling”
Robertson Dean (right) and Ivar Johnson (left) at the Shen Yun performance in Hollywood on April 5. (The Epoch Times)
Actor Rob Dean and his friend Ivar Johnson saw Shen Yun in Hollywood on April 5.
“My God. [They’re] superhumans as far as I’m concerned,” Mr. Dean said.
“I’ve been on stage many, many, many times and the concentration it must take to make everything exactly perfect without making it look like a slog... because they look like they’re having an actual good time,” he said.
Referring to Shen Yun’s story-based dance bringing attention to the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing persecution and illegal organ harvest from people of faith, Mr. Dean said, “It really got me.”
“I love it. I absolutely love it. It’s not what I expected, but what’s important is that [the people] stop being persecuted. I can see under the whole show that there’s a yearning,” he explained.
“The heart in the organ box, the forced organ harvesting—I’m really glad it’s [presented] here, and everybody’s seeing it because I don’t think a lot of people actually believe it. It’s hard to believe that there’s such evil,” he said.
Mr. Dean said he saw “the joy of living” in Shen Yun’s performance and that’s something very difficult to achieve.
“It takes a lot of serious effort, so that in itself is spiritual to me. The [performers] are so perfect; they’re so in step. The show is on a higher calling; there is a higher purpose to it and everyone is attached to it. I didn’t know that, and now I do.
“I really, really respect the spirituality coming off the stage in massive waves because to be this devoted to an art form that is rooted in the past is a spiritual exercise in itself,” he said.
“I Will Recommend it to Everybody”
Tom Katsis, actor, at the Shen Yun performance in Hollywood on the afternoon of April 6. (The Epoch Times)
Actor Tom Katsis saw Shen Yun in Hollywood on the afternoon of April 6.
“The performance was amazing. The combination of dance and physicality was really beautiful. The choreography was also beautiful,” Mr. Katsis said.
“I will recommend it to everybody. I will also share my experience on Facebook,” he said.
“The Best of Humanity”
Adam Croasdell at the Shen Yun performance in Hollywood on April 6. (NTD Television)
Actor Adam Croasdell saw Shen Yun in Hollywood on April 6.
“It was absolutely riveting. Beautiful, beautiful,” said Mr. Croasdell.
“It’s very nice to see a show that concentrates on the highest and the best of humanity. I think there’s a propensity these days to concentrate on the ugliness and the ultraviolence and sort of the lowest that humanity has to offer. And this is the opposite of that. It’s very uplifting and very culturally fascinating.
“This is extremely refreshing... It’s very entertaining and yet very transporting in the highest way.
“I’m delighted that accessible stories of the highest that humanity has to offer are possible to show the best of human nature and also the incorporation of the divine and human,” he said.
Coming from a stage background himself, Mr. Croasdell expressed appreciation for the Shen Yun artists’ craft.
“You have to be slightly bigger in your performance in order to reach the people in the back, and they did it beautifully. There was a lot of subtlety and an excellent communication between the stage and the audience,” he said.
“They’re very skilled indeed, all of them... The live music was phenomenal... The sound was very transporting and, yes, beautifully choreographed between the orchestra pit and the stage.
“Everybody that I saw and heard afterwards were delighted. They were radiant, and they had a spring in their step after this.
“I hope there’s a day in the near future where the arts can return to China and shows like this can be seen,” he said.
“Very High-level”
Joaquin Valdepeñas, clarinetist and conductor, at the Shen Yun performance in Toronto on April 5. (NTD Television)
Joaquin Valdepeñas, clarinetist and conductor, saw Shen Yun in Toronto on April 5.
“It was all very good. There’s nothing really to criticize. It was very very good. Very professional and very very high-level,” Mr. Valdepeñas said.
“The music’s very well-played. The orchestra’s very good.
“Just the cohesiveness and how together everything is – it’s flawless. It’s quite impressive,” he said.
“The Arrival of the New World”
Belgian Princess Anne De Ligne at the Shen Yun performance in Reims, France, on April 2. (NTD Television)
Belgian Princess Anne De Ligne and her husband saw Shen Yun in Reims, France, on April 2.
“I like it very much. Beautiful choreography, dancers, and colors. Also the divinity in the performance – I think this is very important. The very beginning portrayed divine beings coming down to earth with a mission. At the end, we saw the arrival of the new world, full of light,” said the Princess.
“We truly felt a kind of spiritual dimension at a higher level. Shen Yun presented it through a performance. Everyone should’ve felt it; I hope so. I felt like everything blended into one: the colors, lighting, music, extremely beautiful backdrop – always connected to heaven and higher level. Human and the divine were connected. Truly wonderful,” she said.
“I Deeply Commend Shen Yun”
Danish Parliament member Søren Espersen at the Shen Yun performance in Odense, Denmark, on April 5. (Screenshot from NTD Television)
Søren Espersen, Member of the Danish Parliament, saw Shen Yun in Odense, Denmark, on April 5.
“[Shen Yun] is a very good way to open up people’s wisdom. I think Shen Yun Performing Arts’ existence and the world-class, top level that it has shown are crucial, because this is exactly what angers the CCP. Because of this, I deeply commend Shen Yun,” Mr. Espersen said.
“Something That Lifts the Soul”
Member of Parliament Anna Roberts presented an award to Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto on April 4. (NTD Television)
Member of Parliament Anna Roberts saw Shen Yun in Toronto on April 4. During her visit, she also presented an award to the company to commend the artists for their cultural contribution.
For Ms. Roberts, Shen Yun shares with all of Canada a story of “the struggles and the sacrifices that the Chinese people have made.”
“It also shows us that there is hope at the end of the day. I think anyone who watches the show will come away with that satisfaction. Absolutely beautiful,” she said.
“I wish I had [their] ability because they’re absolutely spectacular. The whole performance—the acrobats, the dance, the music—it’s something that lifts the soul. I think that’s what we need today. We need to bring that hope back to Canada,” Ms. Roberts said.
“It Was Incredible”
Member of Parliament Kevin Vuong at the Shen Yun performance in Toronto on April 2. (NTD Television)
Member of Parliament Kevin Vuong saw Shen Yun in Toronto on April 2.
“It was incredible. As a member of the Parliament, I’m so grateful that Shen Yun chose to make Toronto a part of its world tour. I feel fortunate to have been able to see it myself,” he said.
Mr. Vuong was especially touched by Shen Yun’s two story-based dances that raised awareness of the ongoing human rights violations in present-day China.
“Shen Yun is a very important reminder for those of us here about some of the universal human rights that we take for granted,” he said.
“Our ability to [have] the freedom of expression and have the freedom to practice our religion—[we’re] reminded that not everywhere in the world has that freedom, and [we’re also reminded of] the importance to not only fight to protect it here at home in Canada but also to help others [achieve] those same human rights.”
Mr. Vuong said that seeing the artists’ display of pre-communist China brings him “a lot of hope.” He saw in Shen Yun “what is possible for not just China but the world.”
“There are more things that bring us together than separate us. I think it’s important that we remember that today and tomorrow.”
“Kindness and compassion were important themes that came out of Shen Yun’s performance, but also the importance of faith. My faith [plays] an important part in guiding my life and I think that’s not a bad thing—especially today where there are so many challenges and so many issues,” he said.
“Dreams Coming True”
Member of Provincial Parliament Andrea Hazell at the Shen Yun performance in Toronto on April 4. (NTD Television)
Andrea Hazell, Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, saw Shen Yun in Toronto on April 4.
“I’m blown away. Usually I’m not speechless, but I am speechless today. It’s everything that you hear about the show, everything that you’ve seen in the advertising. But when you’re here—oh my goodness, it’s something that the entire Canada should come out and look at because it’s mesmerizing,” Ms. Hazell said.
“The pieces that I’ve seen—it’s like dreams coming true—love, passion, peace, and hope for a better future. But what [I] love most is the culture—the beauty and the costumes just bring everything alive together from beginning to end. So, how can I not be here to support [that] vision, to support the culture’s sustainability? I think that’s really important tonight.
“[Shen Yun] is going to motivate a lot of young people to want to keep that culture alive... We need cultures to keep alive.
“What a wonderful place to come to—Canada. Freedom is here. Express your belief, whether it’s a culture or your religion, we want to welcome that in Canada,” she said.
As a dancer herself, she knows first-hand the dedication necessary to put on a show of this caliber. “This is a lot of work. My heart goes out to every one of the dancers. It’s not easy—it’s day and night, it’s bruises on the feet, and bruises on the heels. I love them. I love them so much,” she said.
“Congratulations in so many ways. I’m going to be here next year, and I want to travel to see another show. [Shen Yun] has got to do more shows in Toronto,” Ms. Hazell said.
Kansas Elected Officials Welcome Shen Yun
Prior to Shen Yun’s performances at the Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas, on April 6 and 7, the company received welcome remarks and recognition from: (left to right, top to bottom) U.S. Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran, U.S. Representative Ron Estes, and Mayor of Wichita Lily Wu. (The Epoch Times)
“Our Future Should Be Like This”
Gu Yuan, electrical automation engineer, at the Shen Yun performance in New York City on April 7. (The Epoch Times)
Gu Yuan, an electrical automation engineer, saw Shen Yun in New York City on April 7.
“Seeing Shen Yun, we saw China’s hope and our future,” said Mr. Gu, an immigrant from China.
“This is the truly beautiful, civilized, and admirable Chinese culture and history that Shen Yun is promoting to the world... Our future should be like this. Such beautiful civilization and culture are worth us carrying forward and promoting. Thank you Shen Yun!” he said.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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