Shen Yun is a long-time Canberra favourite – the New York-based company has brought its sublime traditional Chinese dance and orchestral music to the Canberra Theatre almost every year since 2007, soon after it was founded. The last two years of COVID have made travel impossible, but now Canberra is among the seven cities Shen Yun is visiting in Australia in the first year of its return to touring the globe.
Shen Yun will be at the Canberra Theatre for two shows only, on Thursday 31 March and Friday 1 April. Canberrans are particularly lucky, because we were a last-minute addition to the schedule thanks to the Australian government dropping quarantine requirements for international visitors. This gave Shen Yun another seven days to perform, and we in Canberra are able to enjoy two of them, right after the dancers arrive in Australia.
While by now most Canberrans who enjoy the arts will be familiar with the world class talent and artistry that characterises a Shen Yun performance, it has been a while. Following is a reminder about what makes Shen Yun so special, and why it’s the can’t-miss performance of the season.
First, Shen Yun reclaims the lost heritage of China’s divine tradition. While China used to be known as “The Land of the Divine”, where people sought harmony among Heaven, Earth, and humankind, since 1949 those ideas have been threatened by the communist government. Since 2006 Shen Yun has been committed to reviving this spiritual heritage. It’s non-profit and independent of any government.
Second, Shen Yun is the foremost exhibitor of classical Chinese dance in the world today. This style of dance contains flips, spins, tumbles, and a variety of elegant poses and gestures that were developed and refined over thousands of years. Shen Yun performs classical Chinese dance in its purest form, preserving its traditional aesthetic the way it was originally passed down. The company also incorporates ethnic and folk dances, whether from Mongolia or Tibet, and it depicts in dance some of China’s most well-known folk stories and fables.
Third, Shen Yun brings a live orchestra, the first permanent combination of classical Western and Eastern instruments. These include the soul-stirring erhu and the delicate pipa, on top of a full Western orchestra of strings, percussion, woodwinds, and brass.
Fourth, Shen Yun revives traditional bel canto singing, which uses the upper register of the singer to project the voice throughout the auditorium. This particular style is seldom seen and has been reintroduced and spread around the world by Shen Yun.
Fifth, Shen Yun uses vibrant and colourful costumes that breathe fresh life into every dance piece and story. The clothing ideas are inspired by thoughts of what divine beings in the heavens wear; they also draw from the distinctive styles of China’s dynasties, regions, and ethnicities.
Sixth, Shen Yun has a highly refined and unique form of stagecraft created from its synchronisation of choreography, lighting, sound and stage design.
Seventh, Shen Yun’s innovative three-dimensional projection, behind the performers, extends the stage right into divine realms. This allows a dynamic interaction between on-stage and off-stage, where beings both float up into the heavens and descend to the earth.
Eighth, Shen Yun’s artists are spiritual seekers on a journey. They meditate daily and live by the principles of truth, compassion and tolerance. This inner self-discipline comes through in the sublime artwork they create. The sense of vocation by Shen Yun performers is a unique feature of the show, and audiences always pick up on it.
Ninth, Shen Yun refreshes its entire performance – choreography, music, songs, costumes, backdrops and storylines – every year. This is a vast undertaking, but Shen Yun has done it every year for the last 14 years. It’s also why audiences keep coming back. Given that this is Shen Yun’s first tour since the pandemic began, it’s likely that the current year’s performances will be particularly special and unique.
While remaining off-tour for much of the last two years, Shen Yun dancers and musicians haven’t been slacking off. They’ve created their own clothing line – Artist Fashion (artistfashion.com) – and video production channel – Shen Yun Creations (shenyuncreations.com).
Apart from the company travelling Australia, Shen Yun has six other dance companies currently touring elsewhere in the world, including Europe and North America.
As the first tour post-pandemic, the performers are very excited to be hitting the road and entertaining audiences again.
Shen Yun will also perform in Sydney, Melbourne, Bendigo, Toowoomba, Gold Coast and Adelaide.
“Shen Yun is extraordinary – everyone should come see it.” – Celeste Holm, Academy Award-winning actress
“This is the highest and the best of what humans can produce.” – Olevia Brown-Klahn, singer and musician
“It’s a once in a lifetime experience, and you must not miss it… The world needs more excellence and Shen Yun can provide it for us.” – Coral Drouyn, Australian theatre critic
“There is a massive power in this that can embrace the world. It brings great hope… It is truly a touch of heaven.” – Daniel Herman, former Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic
“A visual feast for your eyes. Simply gorgeous stage magic! A must–see!” – Broadway World
“Flawless musical performances… Simply astounding to watch and a pleasure to the ear” – Opera Online
Please visit shenyun.com for tickets in Canberra and elsewhere in Australia or call 6275 2700.
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