(Clearwisdom.net) As Shen Yun Performing Arts continues its Australian tour in Canberra, attendees include people seeing it for the first time, as well as those who come back year after year. One of those who makes sure to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts is Linda Bennet, who was among the enthusiastic audience at the Canberra Theatre on Saturday 22 May for the fourth year in a row.

Ms. Bennet is a radio reader for 1RPH, print handicap radio. She has also spent many years fostering foreign students at Duntroon. She said they were mostly Chinese students. "I happen to like pre-communist Chinese history, Chinese costumes, and opera," she said.

Ms. Bennet is a radio reader for 1RPH, print handicap radio.

Watching the Shen Yun performances has deepened her appreciation for classical Chinese culture and traditions.

"I love it! I love the colour, the talent that's there, the sheer beauty!" she said. "I think in many ways today we've lost it-our appreciation of beauty. And it's there. There was a man sitting beside me and he was absolutely fascinated with the handkerchief dance, and just the colour and the movement and the gracefulness. And we're all 'busy busy, busy, hurry, hurry, hurry', and it's just nice to sit there and see something graceful and gentle and tranquil, so it's beautiful."

Ms. Bennet explained that what she described as "old Chinese society" was based on the values of respect for others. "And, the sad part about the whole thing is that communist China has stamped it out so harshly," she said, "And I don't think China will ever get it back."

Her support for Shen Yun was obvious and she explained one reason why she attends, year after year: "Because not only do you get the enjoyment on the day, but you can think back on it through the year, and you remember little bits of it," she said. "Whether it's the colour, gracefulness, or just something will suddenly ... you'll see pink and green together, or blue and white, and you will think, 'Oh yes!' You'll remember the costume or the movement.

She went on to explain that Shen Yun was a unique and memorable experience, "It gives you memories. And quite often you pay a lot of money to go to a show-you come in, you see it, and you go home, and you don't remember next year that you've seen it.

"This year they had the ethnic dancing based on the Miao people, and the Tibetan people, and so they used their costumes. And for a lot of Australians, they never leave their home towns. It's an education. All over, it's just an education."

Academic Inspired by the 'High Aesthetics' of Shen Yun

Describing her first ever experience of Shen Yun, Dr. Cathy Hope said the show "was beautiful, absolutely beautiful ... very talented dancers." Dr. Hope is a research fellow and lecturer in Communications at the University of Canberra. She attended the show with her daughter.

Dr. Hope is a research fellow and lecturer in Communications at the University of Canberra.

Speaking with reference to her academic background, Dr. Hope explained her impression of the artistry of Shen Yun. "It was a combination of high art, so high aesthetics. I mean phenomenal dancing skill ... but then--at the same time--there's lots of warm colours and it's very accessible, so it combines the two, especially because it's not just one long show but, broken up into pieces so you ... basically have a taste of all kinds of different things. Not so much styles, but mostly of different aesthetics, Chinese aesthetics so you've got different suites--but there's a theme running all the way through it."

Dr. Hope elaborated, saying, "It's for everybody, so everybody can access it."

Dr. Hope exclaimed, "I really enjoyed the Miao ... very strong dance that was!" In a Miao Village is a lively dance depicting one of China's oldest ethnic groups attired in pleated skirts with jingling bells, ornate silver jewelry and distinctive headdresses.

Inspired by this cultural experience, Dr. Hope said: "I might start reading a bit more about Chinese history and Chinese culture." She found the show an effective way of allowing more people to access Chinese culture and heritage because "art is always a great way to access culture, a wonderful way ... especially because they are using classical dance styles so everybody can relate to it."

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/35955/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/35938/

Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts