(Clearwisdom.net) The Parade Theatre was alive with music and dance on April 19-26, 2009, as Shen Yun Performing Arts played to appreciative audiences in Sydney, Australia.

Bradley Hughes, local government councilor and Internet marketing consultant, was moved by the show's message, "It's very impressive, the message of the show particularly, to recreate and share the history of the 5,000 years of Chinese culture. To present that in dance performance and song--very impressive in terms of the choreography, the costumes, and the depth of feeling that's presented in the interpretation of the different performances."

Mr. Hughes continued, "From very old times right through to what's happening in contemporary China, today... We saw a particular dance that portrayed the persecution of a Falun Gong practitioner, which was quite emotionally evocative of what some families are going through today in China."

"There's a message of hope that if people can persevere, stay true to what they believe in, and what they know to be right, if they can remain committed with their values, then ultimately the best will prevail for everyone. I believe that everyone would have been moved and touched in some way by that performance."

David, a retired company director, particularly liked the piece, "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," and commented, "I liked all of it, but I think I like the act where the little girl lost her father. She was very good. It brought a lot of emotion into the audience... We're well aware of what's going on, we know that Falun Gong is being persecuted, and we also know that there are many Chinese communist agents here in Australia, looking at a lot of things, we know how active they are. We're aware of that."

David with friend Avery

He continued, "The costumes are beautiful. The entire production is very well staged, I'm impressed with the discipline of the dancers and I like it... I think it's particularly clever, the way you have the film at the back. It's in fact the props. I think it's very clever."

David's friend, Avery, a nurse, was equally thrilled with the show. "I just think it was beautiful, I enjoyed it very much... The dancers were enjoying it and they conveyed that feeling to the audience tonight. Because they enjoyed it so much, it made it easier for me to appreciate it. I loved the old tales... and the girls with the lotus. Beautiful, beautiful costumes!"

David felt that the message in the show should be spread more widely, particularly to those people who are directly influenced by the Chinese regime. He said, "I would like you to invite the African diplomats to see the show, and other people like that who can think about it, think about the message ... The message really is treating one another with mutual respect ... naturally people want to practice their own beliefs ... People should be free to be able to do that ... I would like to see you give that message to people who might not necessarily come to this show. Invite them to the show!"

Mike, who works as a sports freelancer for a major television station, and his friend, Jackie, both loved the show. "Excellent! The costumes are fantastic. We have never been to anything like this before," they said almost in one voice.

The show is "Brilliant! It's really cool, it's very clever ... you can get the stories, it's really easy to understand what is going on. The combination is just great. ... you can see they are having fun and that's cool. Anyone that can go and enjoy their job like that, you have to check it out--that's great," Mike said.

They said that they would encourage others to see the show, "Fantastic! Come and have a look. The dancing and choreography are fantastic!"

Jean, a pastoral care worker, and John, the CEO of a nursing home, were thoroughly impressed with the show. "I found it a very spiritual show, it was lovely. The costumes are beautiful, and the singing--I didn't realize that traditional Chinese songs were so spiritual--very spiritual songs. The drums were fantastic also--they were really good. What I saw was totally unexpected. I loved it. I'm bringing our grandchildren next time," Jean said.

John shared similar feelings with his wife, "It wasn't what I expected--it was much more modern--more spiritual than I anticipated. I loved the costumes, I loved the music, I loved the blending of the ancient with the modern world. I loved the vigor. There was an energy about it that captured your whole being--you were part of the show. There was a gracefulness."

Mr. Lai, an inspector, echoed the thoughts of many in the audience. "It is great. This is the third time I have seen the show. It is a lot different from other shows. I can feel it. This show is very peaceful. And, the thing is, it is ... the true representation of Chinese culture."

Ms. Woodward, an IT firm employee, said, "I have enjoyed the show thoroughly. I love the costumes. I love the music. I love the dancing part, the one with the ladies with the long sleeves ["Flowing Sleeves"] ... It was beautiful."

Retiree Mr. Woodward said, "It is very well done. The performers are obviously very well trained and that speaks a lot for a culture. It is a little bit sad that they wouldn't be able to see this in China. That's a pity and I feel strongly that there shouldn't be this sort of control that exists there. We are very lucky to be able to watch it."

Ms. Milne, from Balmain for Refugees, a refugee assistance program, also found the message behind the show very moving. "I think it's absolutely spectacular and I think the thing that's so moving is the spiritual message behind it. So lovely to see such a wonderful performance and a message that goes so deep to all of us."

The story of the family who were persecuted for practicing Falun Gong also touched a chord with Ms. Milne, "We're helping so many of them who fear being returned to China where they will be persecuted. It's a wonderful finale in the sense that this is not the final end to any of it. Of course, it's a very sad nation where there is persecution of that kind, and there is no freedom of religious understanding."

She added, "My hope is, in the future, China will be a very different place. It will be a place of freedom, where people can understand their own spiritual nature, without fear, and can work together, practice together, and can have the understanding that there's a great deal more to life than this very short time we have on earth."

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/15918/
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