(Clearwisdom.net) Theatergoers that attended the premiere of the internationally acclaimed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in Adelaide, Australia, on Monday, April 6, were thoroughly enchanted.

With his highly trained sensibilities, classical pianist Mr. Walkely was very impressed by the outstanding level of talent displayed by Shen Yun's artists. "Firstly, I enjoyed the pianist. She was a very beautiful pianist, well trained. The singers were very nice, indeed. They were just the best you could have. And it was nice to have a lady and a male tenor," he said.

Shen Yun brings to the stage a kaleidoscope of color with its incredible dancers in their eye-catching costumes. It is a true celebration of traditional Chinese culture.

Mrs. Walkley, a humorous recitalist, was in awe of the majestic performances she saw during the first half of the show. "I admired the grace of those ladies. And the ladies with the striped dresses ["Dance of the Yi"], that was really fantastic!"

The Yi people, one of southern China's largest ethnic groups, are known for their passion for music and dance. As suggested by the colorful movements of this piece, the Yi seize every occasion to "dance out" their feelings in everyday life. Playful hand gestures mimic the fondness of Yi women for their embroidered hats, while silken rainbow-like skirts mirror the joyful spirit of the dance.

During intermission, Mr. Walkley eagerly anticipated the second half of the show. "I'm expecting the second half will be as well presented as the first half. And I am sure we are going to go away very enlightened. I am glad we came. It has been wonderful to be here! The depiction of history was beautiful to watch. They were so well trained and uniformly together, so it was amazing and beautiful to see."

Dance Teacher: "Go and See It!"

Songwriter Robert Pickering and his daughter, Ms. Pickering, were among the spectator. "I love Chinese music. It is very, very moving and traditional. When you hear it, you're sensing that there's not just 10, 20 or 100 years, but thousands of years of history bringing all that forth, so it's very moving."

Songwriter Robert Pickering and his daughter, a dancer and dance teacher

Mr. Pickering's favorite performance was "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution." "I've seen evidence of the persecution," he said, having spent time in China.

"I think this show something not to be missed, because it's a brilliant spectacle and it's a window into 5000 years of culture. It's something that you don't have in this country, and it's a window into a huge, beautiful country with a lot of people, a lot of history, and a lot of culture."

Ms. Pickering, a dancer and dance teacher, was astounded by the level of professionalism displayed by Shen Yun. "The professionalism of these dancers and their technique and the youth--the youth is just incredible. You look at these girls, and they're younger than me. Especially in the 'Heaven Awaits Despite Persecution', the young girl could have been no more than seven or eight, and the professionalism that she displayed--her face, her technique--was just absolutely incredible. I think that's what made it really, really grab you as well."

Their high praise for "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution" continued, with both father and daughter agreeing the performance piece told a story and delivered a clear message.

The two strongly recommend that people see Shen Yun. "Go and see it. I don't think it's something that you need an acquired taste to enjoy. It's something that everybody can understand and enjoy no matter where you're from or what you're interested in," Ms. Pickering said.

Reflecting on freedom, Mr. Pickering said, "These people are showing what you can do with freedom, and if people in Australia are free to go and see the show, then they should!"

Source: http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/14884/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/14888/