SYDNEY, Australia—Hills Shire Councillor Jane Grevtseva said she was amazed by Shen Yun Performing Arts as it took the stage at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on March 24.
“It’s a beautiful performance ... very beautiful dress and orchestra. It's amazing,” she said.
And it wasn't just a feast for the eyes; it was also a learning experience.
Shen Yun's mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional culture from “China before communism” and showcase its beauty to the world through dance and music.
The biggest personal impact, she shared, was the emphasis on freedom.
“[Freedom is] always an important part of our society,” she said.
“This is human rights, and we should follow our beliefs and what we think is right.”
'Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom'
Penrith City Councillor Glenn Gardiner said the performance was fantastic and far exceeded his expectations.
“I like the story in a few of the scenes, but the one about you reap what you sow, I thought that was very powerful. And the way it was performed and the way it was conducted was also entertaining. I liked it.”
Eye-Opening Cultural Depth
Willoughby City Councillor Michelle Chuang described her experience with Shen Yun as an eye-opening cultural performance.
Ms. Chuang was particularly struck by the dancers’ flexibility and lightning-fast costume changes.
She said the storytelling sets Shen Yun apart from other performances.
Connection Across Continents
Joanna Accordi, who is a board member of the International Regulatory Body for AI, said the performance made her more aware of Chinese culture and values.“What I loved about it is the themes ... and how they taught us to be good, to be ethical, to have high standards. And pretty much every single [piece] related to that,” she said.
She enjoyed the performance that highlighted how phones and technology are making people lose their connection with reality, which is negatively impacting society.
“We're stuck [on our phones] all the time. ... So this is sad,” she said.
“Our history is very different, but we have very, very similar values ... I feel that I understand [Chinese] culture even more.”
