The New York-based company made notable stops in France, presenting 99 sold-out performances across 15 cities, and 33 sold-out performances across seven cities in Taiwan. Audience members around the world praised the dancers for their exceptional skill and artistry.
“I come here every year, and I love it,” said Hana Kuchová Breburdová, a dancer. “What I like most are the costumes and the various chassés and turns that the dancers perform.”
Pastor Brandon Pringle said the performance exceeded expectations.
“It was absolutely 10 out of 10,” Mr. Pringle said. “We flew here from Calgary, not for anything else. We flew here just for Shen Yun.”
Ballet dancer Myriam Barroso said the performance presents different stages of Chinese civilization through dance.
“It presents different histories with their different styles and stages of human history,” Ms. Barroso said. “It is from the beginning of the story of China to what is happening in the world today, all through different styles.”
Simona Chaloupková, a business owner, praised both the elegance of the performance and the depth of traditional Chinese culture presented on stage.
“I’m thrilled, it was truly wonderful,” Ms. Chaloupková said. “It was magnificent. You can tell there’s a tremendous amount of work behind it, but at the same time it feels so effortlessly elegant.”
“And you can see that Chinese culture really reaches deep back through centuries and centuries,” she added. “I liked that it wasn’t just the dance — the music was beautiful too, along with the legends and everything.”
Heriberto Vidal Rey, a former veterinarian, said the performance conveyed an important message about tradition and belief.
“The message is that of returning to and reviving traditions, reclaiming beliefs, showing absolute respect for all that exists,” Mr. Vidal Rey said. “And, at least to some extent, rejecting those periods marked by atheism and similar trends. I thought it was very fitting.”
Shen Yun currently features eight equally large companies, with more than 500 world-class artists presenting an all-new production each year.
Teacher Luz Lua said she brought her students to the performance to expose them to traditional Chinese culture and the performing arts.
“I thought it would be a great experience for my students,” Ms. Lua said. “We don’t have dance in our school. I’m a visual arts teacher, so they’re exposed more to visual arts. When I saw the performance, I thought this would be a great opportunity for them to see something different.”
Ms. Lua added that preserving cultural roots is important for younger generations.
“I think it’s very important to maintain your roots,” she said. “Your roots are usually from your background, your culture, your historical background, from your parents and grandparents.”
Award-winning writer Jay Neugeboren praised the performers’ discipline and teamwork.
“I thought the performers were incredibly gifted,” Mr. Neugeboren said. “They clearly work very, very hard. I was impressed by the discipline of the ensembles and how they work together so beautifully.”
Ballet dancer Maximiliano Guerra encouraged others to see the performance.
“Everybody has to come and see Shen Yun because it’s a perfect show,” Mr. Guerra said. “Great music, great dancing, great colors visually, and great stories.”
