(Minghui.org) During the week of March 25, Shen Yun continued its European and North American tours and presented 35 performances in twelve cities in France, Sweden, Canada, and the United States.
Shen Yun Touring Company at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on March 29. The company presented four performances in Calgary March 29–31. (The Epoch Times)
On March 30, Shen Yun International Company kicked off its 10-show Toronto tour at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun International Company at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Canada, on March 26. The company presented five performances in Mississauga March 22–26, all to full theaters. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Global Company at a packed theater at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on March 29. The company presented five performances in New Brunswick March 28–31. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun World Company at a packed theater at the Cirkus Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, on March 28. The company presented five performances in Stockholm March 27–30. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New Era Company at the Zenith de Toulon in Toulon, France, on the evening of March 28. The company presented four performances in Toulon March 27–29. This was Shen Yun’s first time performing in Toulon. Tickets were sold out around December of last year. (The Epoch Times)
“A Sense of Renewal”
Shuvaloy Majumdar, Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage, at the Shen Yun performance in Calgary on March 30 (NTD Television)
Shuvaloy Majumdar, Member of Parliament for Calgary Heritage, returned to see Shen Yun for the 2024 season at Calgary’s Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on March 30.
“I came last year, and this time was equally beautiful... It’s a wonderful show!” he said.
Mr. Majumdar said he felt “a sense of renewal” after attending the performance, both last year and this year.
“It’s genuinely a spiritual encounter... to be able to feel that through the artists that have trained so hard and perform so beautifully... It is a really special feeling,” he said.
“The preservation of Chinese history and culture is a very difficult task [especially] at a time in which many are attempting to erase that history.
“The celebration of an ancient people in modern times—especially in the format that this show is produced—is just a wonderful celebration of Chinese culture.
“There is no short-term autocratic government that can suppress the culture so beautiful and historic as the ancient Chinese culture and the Chinese people,” he added.
“It’s a Wonderful Experience”
Rob Anders at Shen Yun’s evening performance in Calgary on March 30 (NTD Television)
Former member of Parliament Rob Anders saw Shen Yun’s March 30 evening performance in Calgary.
“The colors were wonderful and vibrant—it’s a lovely performance,” Mr. Anders said.
“[Shen Yun] represents traditional Chinese culture—pre-communism... I think China pre-communism is the better version of China. My family suffered through communism in Eastern Europe. We lost our horses, our granaries, and our land. We very much commiserate with those who are suffering under communism today,” he said.
Mr. Anders said he greatly appreciated Shen Yun’s depiction of traditional values in the performance because “it harkens back to a long and rich history.”
For him, pre-communist China is more of a true representation of Chinese culture rather than “Mao’s altered and edited version.”
“[Present-day China] no longer has the full Mandarin language that was once upon a time... I met people when I was in Ottawa who were lamenting that their children couldn’t go to school to learn traditional Chinese characters but merely the simplified version the communist party has now forced upon the culture,” he said.
Mr. Anders will be taking home with him from the show “hope, freedom, and inspiration.
“There’s a difference between the origin of life, the giving of life, the creation of life, and those who destroy life. I think the Chinese Communist Party has been part and parcel of destroying many, many lives, not only in China but around the world.
“The show was wonderful. It’s fantastic and very well done. The dancers are very capable; the colors are beautiful; and the stories are lovely. It’s a wonderful experience,” he said.
Albertan Elected Officials Welcome Shen Yun
Prior to Shen Yun’s performances in Canada’s Alberta Province, the company received congratulatory remarks from Alberta’s federal, provincial, and municipal elected officials, including: Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith, Mayor of Calgary Jyoti Gondek, multiple Members of Parliament, and Calgary City Councillor Andre Chabot. This was Shen Yun’s tenth year visiting Alberta, and the company was scheduled to present eight performances in two Albertan cities, Calgary and Edmonton, during March 29–31 and April 12–14. (The Epoch Times)
“I Feel Very Emotional”
Chang Liu at the Shen Yun performance in Toronto on March 31 (NTD Television)
Chang Liu, who’s from Beijing and has been in Canada for seven months, saw Shen Yun in Toronto on March 31.
“I feel emotional. I feel like every pore has been opened up and the blood throughout my body is boiling. I think this [show] can directly hit the heart,” Mr. Liu said.
“Very much hope to see [Shen Yun] again in China,” he said.
New Jersey Legislature Issues Joint Resolution
Joint legislative resolution by New Jersey’s Senate and General Assembly to recognize the company (The Epoch Times)
“A Whole Rebirth”
Steve Hook, talk show host, at the Shen Yun performance at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on March 31 (The Epoch Times)
Talk show host Steve Hook saw Shen Yun at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on March 31. He came to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
“I like the anti-communist message, and it’s Easter, so it’s a good day to do it,” Mr. Hook said.
He praised the athleticism of the performers as well as the message. “I’m kind of amazed at how well they dance. I mean, I had no idea it was so physical. The messaging is so wonderful, and it’s something you wouldn’t get in Beijing, that’s for sure. So it’s good to see that,” he said.
Mr. Hook said the spiritual message was very powerful. “Just a whole rebirth. That last dance was wonderful. The singer, the soprano, she was wonderful. The message was wonderful. So I like that. It’s down with atheism and embrace spirituality, which I think we can use a lot more of in this day and age.
“My wife has wanted to see this show forever, and we figured her birthday is tomorrow, Easter is today, so let’s do it. We’re going to come again,” he said.
To the listeners of his talk show, Mr. Hook said, “I would recommend [Shen Yun]. I would say, it’s true, communism sucks. Go watch Shen Yun and find out why they can’t do this in Beijing.”
“It’s Truly Amazing”
The Stone family at the Shen Yun performance in New Brunswick on March 29
Darrin Stone, a senior vice president and commercial banking relationship manager at PNC Bank, and his wife Rebecca and daughter Abigail saw Shen Yun in New Brunswick on March 29.
Mr. Stone spoke about the soprano’s vocal performance, “The messages in the lyrics were beautiful and extraordinary. The soprano told us: where people come from and headed; and the Creator has already come here. It’s truly amazing.”
“Very Important Message”
Joar Forssell, Member of the Swedish Parliament, at the Shen Yun performance in Stockholm on March 27 (NTD Television)
Joar Forssell, a member of the Swedish Parliament, saw Shen Yun in Stockholm on March 27.
“A few pieces in the show exposed the CCP’s tyranny in China. These programs are very unique... The Chinese communist regime is a dictatorial regime. It persecutes people and attempts to influence people in Sweden. It makes people afraid to express themselves, whether it’s religious beliefs, political opinions, or other thoughts,” Mr. Forssell said.
“In fact, the CCP isn’t only persecuting Chinese people in China. It is also exerting influence globally. This undoubtedly also affected the Swedish. This [Shen Yun’s exposing the CCP’s tyranny] is a very important message,” he said.
“Amazing Dances”
Nima Gholam Ali Pour, Member of Sweden’s Parliament, at the Shen Yun performance in Stockholm on March 27 (NTD Television)
Nima Gholam Ali Pour, a member of the Swedish Parliament, also saw Shen Yun in Stockholm on March 27.
“Very in awe. This was my first time watching this kind of performance and Chinese dance. I feel very awestruck after seeing these amazing dances... [Shen Yun’s] significance is: we need more societal moral stances to guide everyone toward the right direction,” he said.
“Of Course It Should Go Back to China to Perform”
Jianping Lai, Chairman of Federation for a Democratic China, Canada, at the Shen Yun performance in Mississauga on March 26
Jianping Lai, the chairman of Federation for a Democratic China, Canada, saw Shen Yun in Mississauga on March 26.
“Falun Gong has been doing outstandingly during the past twenty years. They’ve been spreading the concepts of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance in China and overseas. This has a very good impact on the moral elevation of the entire society,” Mr. Lai said.
“[Shen Yun] is very good early learning material. It is thoughtful and artistic and has perfectly blended thoughts, values, and art. Of course it should go back to China to perform,” he said.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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