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Canadians Mr. and Mrs. Romeiki watched Shen Yun on Tuesday night, Feb. 15. Both retirees, Mr. Romeiki used to work in marketing as a company executive and his wife, Viviane, was a finance interpreter and worked in the medical field.
Mr. Romeiki shared his thoughts after the show.
“I think it’s spectacular and I think it’s giving us a small insight into the Chinese culture, and the artists I think are spectacular and I find it very entertaining,” he said.
Based in New York, Shen Yun Peforming Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, with a mission to revive the true traditional culture of China. Throughout the performance, the masters of ceremonies explain a little about the history and meaning behind classical Chinese dance, and the different stories.
Mr. Romeiki said he enjoyed having an explanation of the context before each performance, and even though he knew a little of what to expect, he found each dance fascinating.
Though many of Shen Yun's dance legends reflect the rich and diverse cultural landscape of ancient China, they also tell stories of contemporary life in the country. The dances express the artists’ longing for their traditional culture, and real-life tales of life under an authoritarian state.
Mr. Romeiki was very moved by the contemporary stories and admitted that he almost cried. “At one point I was going to cry, really I was almost in tears, at the beginning,” he said.
His wife said she cried too, after seeing the dance Our Story. This piece tells of a well-loved teacher who cultivated herself according to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance. The three words, though essential values in classical China, are grounds for arrest under communist rule today. The teacher’s students tried to protect her, but she was killed for her beliefs.
Mrs. Romeiki said that she feels very strongly for people who hold to their beliefs, particularly when they have to keep their beliefs hidden. She was referring to the dance stories portraying people in China who follow the spiritual meditation practice Falun Gong.
“My hope for these people is that they have enough strength to carry on and they have enough support, and that the citizens of the country itself stick together and carry on and stick to their rights and rise up and freedom will be achieved,” she said.
“I do have respect for Chinese culture and I will support any attempt to get more freedom and away from any communist attempt to stop human liberty and the human rights,” she said.
Reporting by De Ming and Rebecca Hunnisett.
Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company will perform at Sydney's Capitol Theatre through to Feb. 23. Next stop in Melbourne, from March 1-6. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
