(Minghui.org) Amidst thunderous applause and standing ovations, Shen Yun Performing Art’s 2012 World Tour staged two exhilarating shows from April 17–18, 2012, in Australia's capital, Canberra, at the Canberra Theatre. Canberra is not only the seat of the nation's government, it is also home to numerous social and cultural institutions of national significance.

Alistair Coe: ‘Superb demonstration of Chinese culture’

 Alistair Coe MLA, the youngest member of the ACT Legislative Council, said the Shen Yun Performing Arts show was “spectacular.”

Mr. Coe especially enjoyed the opening scene, “An Era Begins”, calling it “very powerful.”

The dance set portrays China’s once glorious and flourishing civilization, with the sound of drums from a battalion full of celestial soldiers preparing for a battle between good and evil.

He also enjoyed the performance “How the Monkey King came To Be”, saying, “I think that Monkey King scene was superb.”

The Monkey King is the central character in China’s classic novel Journey to the West. Born out of a rock, he has magical powers that allow him to travel freely between Heaven and Earth. Monkey wreaks havoc in Heaven until the Buddha traps him in his palm.

Mr. Coe spoke highly of the soloists, saying the tenors and the soprano were fantastic. “It is really a wonderful demonstration of the Chinese culture,” he said.

“Shen Yun comes back each year,” Mr. Coe said, “And it was even better than 12 months earlier, so it’s wonderful, it really is.

“I think what makes Shen Yun so special is that it bridges 5,000 years of history. [It] does so in a very contemporary and modern way, and does so with so much enthusiasm and energy, and at the same time still preserves many nutritious elements of Chinese culture.

When asked if he would recommend the show to his colleagues and friends, he replied, “Yes. It is something quite educational as well as being very entertaining.”

Mr. Coe said he felt privileged to be able to see Shen Yun for the fourth time. “Each time the choreography was actually superb, the … energy, and of course, the orchestra … was wonderful as well.”

Dancer: Shen Yun dancers were ‘inspiring to see’

Mia Van Der Westhuizea attends Shen Yun Performing Arts, at the Canberra Theatre, on the evening of April 18.

Also in the audience was Mia Van Der Westhuizea, one of the principal dancers in the original musical of Beauty and the Beast, which was performed in South Africa.

She said the show was “absolutely brilliant and the different way of dancing was enlightening.”

“It was the way the dancers moved … it was done so differently that it was all inspiring to see. And the way the clothes moved with it, like when the legs moved up the whole garment flowed.”

Ms. Van Der Westhuizea was especially moved by the dance set Snowflakes Welcoming Spring, saying she “really liked it.”

Dancers take small, quick steps through snowy fields as they skillfully spin and twirl sequined handkerchiefs, states the Shen Yun program book.

She noted the technical skills needed in classical Chinese dance impressed her.

“The way the girls moved, it was on one level, and I’ve never seen dancers glide like that on one level moving up and down, not just moving, just gliding.

“The screen, when it moved was perfectly timed, and I even checked the symmetry of the lotus leaves, the way they turned was exactly symmetrical. I really thought it was a brilliant production,” said Ms. Van Der Westhuizea.

She particularly noted, “The way the dancers are trained, and their expressions—I especially looked at their expressions—it was moving the whole time. The scene with the little monk boys, you could see how playful they were.”

She was also impressed with the erhu player Xiaochun Qi and the pianist Xin Lian. The erhu is a two stringed classical musical instrument.

“I’m also really into classical music and I thought that the way she performed, she wasn’t exactly still, but the way she moved, her bows, you could see that she felt the music and she felt the way the notes were moving, the pianist as well, their postures. It was so good to see a performance like that, and by sitting still you could feel them, they were larger than life.”

Global charity founder: Shen Yun ‘Something very special’

Also in the audience was Captain Eric Weinman, who has been honored in the field of humanitarian charity work.

Mr. Weinman is the founder, executive director, and president of the FEPCOW Charity Project, a non-profit global charity organization that was founded in memory of Eve Weinman, Mr. Weinman’s late wife.

The show was “something very special,” he said. “It’s very spectacular; the coordination and the perfect harmony, and the music is quite exciting.

“I must say, it is a great colorful extravaganza. It is really, really something that I hope people will never miss, because it’s something very special.”

Noting the depth of Classical Chinese dance, he said, “The Chinese culture has got a tremendous … history, and things that have happened in the country … and, of course, [Shen Yun] has captured it very cleverly … it’s quite impressive and very cleverly thought out because there’s a big story behind it all, it’s not just dancing.”

Traditional Chinese culture promotes values such as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faithfulness, and respect for the divine.

Mr. Weinman believed that these ancient values and great virtues are still important. “We need to know about all these things. Otherwise we will live in a desert and will die without knowing anything! So it is so important!

He said he would recommend the show to his large network of friends and colleagues.

“I will send emails to my friends and relatives in other parts of Australia to watch out for the performance in their state. I’ve got a big family scattered all over of professional people … all over Australia, so I will be sending the message around” to go and watch the show.

He concluded. “Please, come again, to Australia and Canberra, in particular. We enjoy the show.”

Music Teacher: Shen Yun ‘Revisiting of an ancient civilization’

Also enjoying the show was Susan Camm, a veteran music teacher, who said that Shen Yun is like “revisiting an ancient civilization that was based on beauty and harmony, and natural color, natural things.”

Ms. Camm said that as “a music teacher … I love music, and I love art and dance and all of that, because I think it’s a way of expressing things—entertainment, and life is all about that.”

She also noticed how uniquely different classical Chinese dance is, with its own methods of training in bearing, form and technique, developed since antiquity.

Project manager: Fascinated by the dynamics of Shen Yun

Mr. Christian Pietsch, a construction project manager who works for the government, was “fascinated by the dynamics of the whole show. How it’s actually presented.”

He also appreciated the two bilingual emcees who lead the audience from piece to piece, explaining Chinese culture and history.

“You get an analysis of what is actually happening so you can actually follow the whole script … and you can concentrate on what is actually being shown,” he said.

Joining Mr. Pietsch was Dr. Manuela Habicht, a solicitor and clinical and forensic psychologist.

Dr. Habicht said the performance was “great.”

She was impressed by classical Chinese dance, which has a history of thousands of years and embodies traditional principles, unique dance movements, and inner meaning.

Shen Yun not only focuses on stories about ancient battles, but also looks at contemporary China and the repression of faith, beliefs and human rights occurring there today.

Dr. Habicht said she felt the courage and bravery of Falun Dafa practitioners who are faced with persecution in China.

“I particularly liked the piece about Falun Dafa; I’m very impressed with that … it’s just very inspiring,” she said.

“I think there’s very little awareness, probably, in the general population about the persecution of Falun Gong or Falun Dafa. I think there’s very little media coverage actually, about it.”

She also particularly enjoyed the dance Sleeves of Silk. “I like that very much,” she said.

Dr. Habicht also enjoyed the animated digital backdrops that are an integral part of the Shen Yun performance.

“The combination of the multimedia when you see, for example, the warriors coming down from the mountain and all of the sudden they appear on stage, it’s very well done,” she said.

Mr. Pietsch said he particularly enjoyed the dances that depicted ancient legends that included celestial soldiers and warriors, such as the Qing Imperial Guards. The Manchurians are a northern ethnic group who founded China’s final dynasty, the Qing. As fighters, they were highly disciplined, embodying a spirit of strength, dignity, and refinement, according to the program booklet.

He concluded: “The warriors, were actually very presenting for me because the acts were very dramatic and showing very dramatic movements, so I’m actually very fascinated by that.”

Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/alistair-coe-mla-lauds-shen-yuns-performance-in-canberra-222269.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/dancer-shen-yun-dancers-were-inspiring-to-see-222907.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/global-charity-founder-and-executive-director-shen-yun-something-very-special-222886.html 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/construction-project-manager-fascinated-by-the-dynamics-of-shen-yun-performance-222564.html