(Clearwisdom.net) The Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary came alive with the sights and sounds of China's rich traditional culture on Easter Sunday, delighting the audience, among which was advertising company owner Mr. Maassen.

Ms. Evans and Mr. Maassen, advertising company owner

"I thought it was great," he said. "I've never gone to this show before and I've never been to a show like this, so it was really great."

"I'm from a different country [Germany] myself too," remarked Mr. Maassen." I respect everyone's cultures, and it was great seeing a different perspective for once."

Accountant Ms. Evans, who accompanied Mr. Maassen, also thoroughly enjoyed the show. "I thought it was really beautiful. I really enjoyed all the costumes and the colors. It was really vibrant."

"I thought it was interesting how they did an introduction for each piece and spoke about the story that was going to be presented in the dance," said Ms. Evans. "It added more to the performances."

Mr. Maassens's favorite dance was "Welcoming Spring," "The colors just stood out. They were right there," he said of the dance. "Instead of picturing people on the stage you almost visualize plant life out there. It was great the way they were moving in the wind."

During intermission, Mr. Houghton, an assistant manager of a prominent Calgary-based private club, said, "I'm just impressed very much with the color of the costumes and the staging." His group is considering organizing a larger contingent for next year. "Generally, I think it's just excellent," he said.

Mr. Houghton, his daughter Katie and her friend Sophia, Young Canadians performers

Mr. Houghton also commented on the live music accompanying the performances. "I think they've got it well-orchestrated. The live orchestra is wonderful."

Coming to see the show with Mr. Houghton were his daughter Katie and her friend Sophia, who are both cast members of The Young Canadians. The Young Canadians School of Performing Arts is a program sponsored by the Calgary Stampede. Students are selected into this program after going through auditions and go through vigorous training to perform in various types of dance and vocal performances.

"I really liked the opera singing," said Katie, referring to the vocal performance by soprano Jiang Min. She also enjoyed the piece "Welcoming Spring," which features female dancers and stunning bursts of color that create a festive and floral scene.

Bank Manager said Shen Yun "makes people peaceful and hopeful"

Ms. Mitchell, a regional manager at a major Canadian Bank, described the show as "enlightening." "It's been tough for everyone with the global economic cycle that we've been going through, and it's really nice to come on a beautiful spring day and to be enlightened," she said.

Ms. Mitchell, a regional manager at a major Canadian Bank and her daughter

"I just love the music, and the passion behind it, and the story that's told through the costumes and the dance. It's very easy to follow along. It's beautiful... It was very easy to tell what was going on with the story through the expression of the dance and the music," she said.

She also commented on the details of the costumes as "expressions in themselves" and how they were used by the performers to portray deeper cultural meanings. "You know the flowers, the blooming... every time they moved... it just became something completely different on stage. It was absolutely beautiful. 'Dance of the Yi' was my favorite. It was absolutely beautiful what they could do with their skirts and how that changed the absolute appearance," she said.

In "Dance of the Yi" female dancers wear flowing, multi-colored skirts that resemble bright flowers while presenting the playfulness, femininity, and joyfulness of the women of the Yi.

Ms. Mitchell commented on Shen Yun's role in bringing people hope in times of financial hardship and uncertainty. "It brings hope. And I look into the spring and I think things are starting to get better and as far as the world economy, people are starting to see hope again. And that's really very much what you see here with this dance and the inspiration of what the Divine Performing Arts does. It makes people feel peaceful and hopeful and look forward, not backwards."

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15255/
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