Canada: Shen Yun Well-Received in Ottawa: "An Educational, Cultural Experience"

Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company began its 2012 tour in Ottawa, on December 19th-23rd, 2011. A total of five shows were performed, which were well-received by audiences.

"An Educational, Cultural Experience"

Marie McAdam, a retired human resource analyst for the department of national defense in Ottawa, has been coming to see Shen Yun for the past few years, this being her fifth performance.

"Shen Yun is many things to many people. There's a spritual aspect, there's the lack of freedom aspect, and then there's the beautiful art of dancing, costumes, and choreography. So I think it's a good way to get a message out."

Having lived in Hong Kong with her husband for four years, and having visited southern China, Ms. McAdam felt that in addition to the great skill of the performers, Shen Yun did a good job of bringing out traditional culture and values, calling the December 22nd performance "poignant."

"This show really is a great process for educating people. It depicts the lack of freedom in China. People can't do what they want to do, practice what they want to do, especially when it's a peaceful, loving activity. And we're not used to that here in Canada, we're used to having freedom. I think that when you see it depicted in a show like this, it's very real."

McAdam felt particularly touched knowing about others in the audience who were watching the performance. "It's an educational, cultural experience. There are a number of little girls who have been brought here from China, and adopted by families in Canada, coming out to this show tonight. This is a very, very good opportunity for these children, who have been brought here to have a new life. These little kids are just in awe, and their adoptive parents are teaching them about their culture."

Westerner Born in China Enjoys Shen Yun

Henrietta Pound, an eighty-year-old woman who was born in China, was drawn to Shen Yun because of her background. She felt that the December 22nd performance was very good, and she hoped to collect an extra programme for her Chinese acquaintance.

"My mother was Polish, and left Poland with her family when she was seven and went to North China. This was just before I was born in 1931. My mother refused to return to Poland, and lived with an aunt of hers in Shanghai, and that's where she met my father."

Ms. Pound has an affection for Chinese food, which her mother used to cook and be known for after the family moved to England. She felt that the performance was engaging. "It was very well planned," she said.

Student: "Wow. That's all I can say. Wow."

Kevin Huang, a 14-year-old student with a Cambodian background, was impressed after watching the December 23rd performance. "I would watch it over and over again if it was on tape, because this is very good at displaying all Chinese culture. It's rich in Chinese culture, and really inspiring... Wow. That's all I can say. Wow."

Huang was impressed with the beauty and style of the performances overall, but particularly the group numbers. "When they were doing formations when they were together, when they were in harmony, they didn't have any flaws. There wasn't any one member who was out of sync. They were all together, so that's what made it beautiful."

Huang felt that he learned a lot from having watched Shen Yun. "I learned that China is really different from what it was before, but that we still remember the culture that they inherited before, and I think that's a very good thing. It's important to remember our past, and look to our future at the same time."

Audience Member: "What amazed me the most was the synchronisation."

Ludmilla Labrie also attended the December 23rd performance in Ottawa, with her friend Andrea. Ms. Labrie enjoyed the show, and the techniques of Chinese dance.

"The dancing is very different from western dancing. What amazed me the most was the synchronisation. The whole grace, the lightness of movement, is something we don't necessarily experience in western dancing."

Although Ms. Labrie enjoyed all of the numbers, she particularly was drawn to one dance with martial arts. "I liked the enactment of training into martial arts, because the actual movement of martial arts was integrated very nicely into the movement and flow."

As for the topic of Falun Dafa, and the persecution of it in China, which is incorporated into some of the dance numbers, she commented, "I don't know why they persecute people for something so innocent, peaceful, and elevating... When you're having a dictatorship in the country, they are basically afraid of their shadow."