Audiences were left enchanted after Shen Yun‘s opening weekend in London. The classical Chinese dance company aims to revive traditional Chinese culture—one that can’t be seen in China today.
“It was absolutely amazing—beautiful. It really spoke to my soul,” said the CEO of a specialist occupational therapy company, Christina Olabode. “It touches that part of you that you sometimes have to put aside in day-to-day work. But I just forgot about the beauty of it all, it was absolutely amazing, I’m so happy I came.”
Lawyer Meg Cochrane said the performances were incredibly dynamic and graceful. She said they were “entrancing in a way, you’re just quite captivated by watching them.”
China’s traditional culture has been suppressed and almost lost under communist rule. As a result, Shen Yun showcases what can’t be seen in China today.
Chairman and managing director of the ARTOC Group for Investment & Development, M. Shafik Gabr said Shen Yun was an eye opener. “I’m a person who has traveled to over 120 countries around the world, I’ve been to China only once. But today I think I was transformed into a whole different framework of thinking about China,” he said.
Mathematician and entrepreneur, Karel Janeček, said with such a great performance “It is like raising self confidence, raising [the] consciousness of people.”
In ancient China, people believed that music had the power to heal. The director of a health care business Janiina Eklund said this idea is not seen in today’s world. “Especially in health care, it’s more about, you know, pills and medication, and you can’t really fix the spirit with medication. But with music and performance you can,” she said.
Ms. Olabode said she wanted to honor the dancers and the orchestra. “It takes dedication to be able to do what they do. Of course, there’s gifts going on in them as well, but a gift can only come out when you practice it and you really put your heart into it. And that’s what I saw, it was so uplifting and beautiful.”
Shen Yun is performing in London until Dec. 4, after which it will continue its UK tour to Wales, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Manchester.
NTD News, London
