(Minghui.org) During the week of January 8–14, the eight touring companies of Shen Yun brought revived pre-communist arts and values to Woking, the United Kingdom; Turin, Italy; Saitama and Sakai, Japan; and the American cities of Atlanta, Georgia; Springfield, Missouri; Lubbock and San Antonio, Texas; Worcester, Massachusetts; Norfolk, Virginia; and Modesto and Berkeley, California.
Shen Yun New Era Company at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, United Kingdom, on the afternoon of January 14. The company presented five performances in Woking on January 11–14, all to full houses. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Global Company at the Teatro Regio Torino in Turin (Torino), Italy, on January 9. The company presented seven sold-out performances in Turin on January 9–14. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New York Company at the Sakai Performing Arts Center in Sakai, Japan, on January 14. The company presented two performances in Sakai on January 13 and14, both to full theaters. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun North America Company performed to a packed theater at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts in Springfield, Missouri, on January 9. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun North America Company at the Chrysler Hall in Norfolk, Virginia, on the afternoon of January 13. The company presented three performances in Norfolk on January 13 and 14, all to packed houses. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun World Company at the Zellerbach Hall on the campus of University of California, Berkeley, on January 12. The company presented three performances in Berkeley on January 12–14, all to packed houses. (The Epoch Times)
“A Feeling of Joyous Energy”
Katalin P., the chief of staff at a European technology company, saw Shen Yun in Berkeley, California, on January 13. She said, “It was really beautiful. I really loved the music and the choreography, and just the harmony of all the dancers together and the costumes and the colors.
“They were very vibrant, very lively, and at the same time harmonious. And I think that’s beautiful because a lot of times, colors when they’re very vibrant, they can be a bit harsh. But they were all very beautiful and in harmony."
Regarding the spirituality of the performance, she said, “I found it very interesting and very timely. I feel like it’s probably not a coincidence that it’s coming this year. I feel like everything is going that way... I felt a feeling of joyous energy. I was thinking about what that is, and I guess it has to do with connection. It was really nice.
“And I was surprised about the spiritual part to it, so that was an extra addition... And I think this is really beautiful to show that it is in the Chinese culture also,” she said.
She described the show as “beautiful,” “enchanting,” and “exhilarating.”
She said she would say to people who had not seen the show, “They should definitely come and see it.”
“Absolutely Mind-blowing”
Miranda Tilbury at the Shen Yun performance in Woking, United Kingdom, on the evening of January 12 (NTD Television)
Miranda Tilbury, a public health consultant for the National Health Service (NHS), saw the Shen Yun performance in Woking, United Kingdom, on the evening of January 12.
“It’s amazing to go through the ages like that so seamlessly. It was beautiful,” said Ms. Tilbury.
She went to see the performance with five other family members. She said she was pleased that Shen Yun could be enjoyed by people of all ages.
“Absolutely mind-blowing... The colors, the dancing, it really blew me away. I’m lucky to be here with my family and all of us to enjoy that—all ages from my daughter up to her grandma—it’s a brilliant evening out,” she said.
“I didn’t realize we were going to get an insight into the history and everything that’s gone over in time and some of the persecution,” said Ms. Tilbury.
She said about Shen Yun’s depiction of the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong, “It’s a bit of an eye-opener in terms of what could happen in our lives if we allow this repression to continue. So it’s important we make sure everyone has a voice.
“I want to research some of this meditation (Falun Gong) and everything—because it’s actually made me very curious about it, and it’s something I want to pass on to my family,” shared Ms. Tilbury.
She said she enjoyed the traditional stories and morals presented in the performance.
“Through each bit of the story, you saw the good overcome the evil, so it was wonderful to just reiterate some of those morals we try to instill at home,” said Ms. Tilbury.
“Just those simple acts of kindness and love are what we need in the world right now. There’s a lot going on and a lot of unrest, and if we promote some of those messages, hopefully things will improve,” she said.
She also said of Shen Yun’s live orchestra: “Absolutely beautiful music. And I love the combination of Chinese and what we would normally see in an orchestra. So it was absolutely lovely.”
“This Performance is Very High-quality”
Sara Zambaia, Piedmont region councilor, at the Shen Yun performance in Turin, Italy, on January 10 (NTD Television)
“As a member of the regional council, I have known about Shen Yun for a long time. This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to see Shen Yun. The performance is really great,” Ms. Zambaia said.
“I would like to congratulate the artists. The emcees said there are several groups touring around the world at the same time. I understand the huge effort that is behind this great work.
“You can see that there is passion and dedication behind Shen Yun, so the artistic attainments and the quality of the performance are very high,” she said.
Ms. Zambaia said that Shen Yun’s performance quality outshines many of what she has seen.
“I have to say, this performance is very high-quality, which has been rare to see over many years. I sincerely recommend it to everyone who hasn’t had a chance to see it yet,” she said.
“A Show That Really Moves...”
Maurizio Marrone, councilor for Italy’s Piedmont region, and his wife Marianna Di Megnuc at the Shen Yun performance in Turin on January 9 (The Epoch Times)
“An exciting show of spiritual identity, tradition, and also freedom. These are all values that we believe in very much, and we are glad to see them all represented together in a show that really moves [one’s heart], and one that was able to really involve hundreds of Turin residents and left a mark,” Mr. Marrone said.
“Outstanding performances, even on the artistic quality level. Certainly the quality is very high and the Turin audience could appreciate it with really heartfelt and prolonged applause.
“To express not only great gratitude for tonight’s spectacle, enormous appreciation for their performance, but also above all really a welcome here in our Turin, in our Piedmont they will always have the full right to express themselves and to represent this wonderful show,” he said.
“Shen Yun Has Undoubtedly Successfully Fulfilled Its Mission”
Roberto Bulgarelli at the Shen Yun performance in Turin on the evening of January 12 (NTD Television)
Roberto Bulgarelli, the CFO of an oil and gas company, saw Shen Yun in Turin on the evening of January 12.
“The messages in the show come from a profound culture, a profound cultural foundation. A part also comes from faith in a broad sense, not Christianity, not Catholicism or Buddhism, but spiritual faith that is broader and more significant,” Mr. Bulgarelli said.
“Maybe to us, the traditional values presented in Shen Yun are very similar to our traditional values. Today, we learned about a different China. The show presented a China that at least we Westerners basically don’t know about yet.
“Shen Yun has undoubtedly successfully fulfilled its mission. I think Shen Yun’s goal is to elevate people’s consciousness, and eventually wake up people,” he said.
“So Perfect in Everything”
Derek Easterling, mayor of Kennesaw, Georgia, and his wife Dawn at the Shen Yun performance in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 12 (Screenshot from NTD Television)
“I think of strength and elegance in all of the dances. I was amazed at how high some of the men leaped, and the movements that they had. So perfect in everything,” Mr. Easterling said.
He said of the erhu solo performance: “It was absolutely incredible that you could have so much emotion and sound and vibrancy in a two-stringed instrument.”
Mr. Easterling said, “You gotta see it... I recommend it, highly.”
“Captivating From the Very First Moment”
Rhett Weiss, Esq., the founder, chairman, and CEO of DEALTEK, at the Shen Yun performance in Norfolk, Virginia, on January 13 (Screenshot from NTD Television)
“It was wonderful. It was captivating from the very first moment all the way through to the end,” Mr. Weiss said.
“It was a wonderful blend of history, arts, culture, music, dance, all put together.
“It’s both joyous and sad. It’s joyous to see this wonderful, talented group trying to keep this alive, but it’s also sad that communist China is trying to repress it and kill it... Thank you for moving forward. Thank you for putting up with some of this resistance.
“I think in the end... the audience will leave with hope, that the good will triumph over evil as we often say. So yes, I think it ends on a good note,” he said.
For more information about performance time, location, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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