"Visually Stunning and Emotional!": Toronto's Arts Community Resonates to the Beauty of Shen Yun

(Clearwisdom.net) "It was splendid. I thought it was visually stunning," enthused Ms. McNeil-Morin, the chair for fashion studies at one of Toronto's top arts colleges, after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Canon Theatre on Saturday.

"With all the layers of meaning behind the story, it was so much more to take in. The choreography, the music, the orchestra, and the singing all added different dimensions and meaning to the stories. It was so much to take in which made it powerful to watch. You are experiencing it at so many levels at the same time.

"I know that one of the things that I have always been impressed by about Chinese culture is the way that everything has a meaning, and everything has intent, and even a small movement or something about a costume--there are always so many layers of meaning. I think that it's one of those things that you have to be more immersed in sometimes to catch all of it. It's not always familiar to someone who is from the outside, but the more I learn about it, the more I see how everything is done so carefully and so precisely. I have always been very impressed by that."

Ms. McNeil-Morin was touched by the profound layers of meaning she saw in each performance. "And I loved that part of it because you have to really pay attention. The more that you are aware, the more you get out of it. I know there was a lot of emotion and there was a lot of history involved in the telling of this."

She was deeply moved by the performance, "Dignity and Compassion", set in modern day China. After a practitioner of Falun Dafa is cruelly persecuted, one prison guard experiences an awakening of conscience.

"That whole piece was very powerful. I know that this is a truth that's happened and I am sure that a lot of those stories have never been told. We are not always aware of some of these things. But as long as people learn of this, I think that possibly change can happen and that the truth will come out. I hope that that message gets across."

As a fashion expert, Ms. McNeil-Morin had particular appreciation for Shen Yun's vast collection of original costumes. "What I love is the way the dancers move together on stage, all in these gorgeous colours with all the different elements of the costume."

She noted that the unique elements of many costumes were an integral part of the dance. "For example, the piece "Flowing Sleeves", I mean the sleeves were very much a part of the whole story and added so much to the visual. The silk and the way that it flowed--it was stunning and I loved the the color combination . . .the way the costumes are so effective in capturing your imagination and really being a part of the beauty of the performance."

She also praised the way the costumes worked with Shen Yun's innovative backdrops. "The way the stage and the backdrop was done was just beautiful and I felt that in every piece. "Welcoming Spring" was gorgeous with the pink and the green. I felt very uplifted by that piece because Spring is always so hopeful and I think it really said that."

Ms. McNeil-Morin said that as an artist the show touched her on many levels. "With all the layers of meaning behind the story, it was so much more to take in. You enjoy it on all of these levels at the same time. And when you have got beautiful quality in every aspect, it adds to a wonderful experience."

"I would encourage people to see it. It's an experience, it's stunning and emotional at the same time."

Further encouraging others to see Shen Yun she added, "Allow yourself to just be immersed in the experience. I love the fact that I had the chance to come and see that, to be immersed in it and to learn more about the story and the culture."

TV Producer Impressed by Shen Yun: 'Fantastic!'

"I loved it--fantastic!" was how TV producer Mr. Rinaldo described the Shen Yun Performing Arts show he attended on Saturday afternoon at Toronto's Canon Theatre.

"This is my first time experiencing Chinese cultural arts," he said. "I loved the drummers, the sound is beautiful, and I liked the English and Chinese presentation. It was very nice."

Mr. Rinaldo was pleased that New York-based Shen Yun artists are reviving and presenting classical Chinese culture to the world. He added that he would like to see "this kind of art performance spread throughout the world."

The show depicts legends and spiritual traditions from ancient China, contrasting with stories from present day China where spiritual belief is persecuted. One such story which touched Mr. Rinaldo, called "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," shows the father of a young girl being persecuted in present-day China for his belief in the spiritual practice of Falun Dafa.

Reflecting on this performance, he said, "I like that as a cultural message to the world, because China is no longer hidden away but it is on the world stage."

Mr. Rinaldo's companion said she was deeply moved by the soprano, Pi-Ju Huang. "I really loved the lyrics of the soprano, that really moved me and she also gave me goosebumps. Her voice is incredible.

She added that she was touched by the show, "But of course all the performers, the way they performed together, was so elegant and graceful. The culture has to be shared with the world--it is beautiful."

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/23697/