Shen Yun Performing Arts received a warm welcome in Ueno, Japan, on Feb. 3, captivating audience members with a journey through ancient China. Professional dancer Mika Ikeda praised Shen Yun for its artistry and called the performance deeply moving.
"The moment the curtain opened, it was like a dream. I am a dancer, so I have often watched the performance on YouTube, but I was very moved to see it live for the first time," Ikeda said.
"I thought the image behind them was particularly amazing, the world view really expanded with the screen behind them. And I wondered how they managed to time it when they jumped out onto the stage and with the image, the timing was so perfect that I really didn't understand how it was done and that was what surprised me first," she said.
"Everyone has trained really well. The artists' facial expressions were all great and the story was good, too," said Yoshinobu Sakai, a company president.
Shen Yun aims to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture from before communism. To do it, the company showcases the beauty of those traditions through classical Chinese dance, music, and storytelling.
"It was a wonderful feeling, and [the performance] gave me the motivation to work harder to improve my own expression and become active on a global scale just like all of you," said Ikeda.
"[The performance] was a very refreshing experience, and I also sensed that it must have been a lot of hard work," said Sakai.
He added: "I think [the artists] are all training, and doing it in a very difficult situation, to wish for peace. They said there are 8 companies, but the world is still a big place, so I would like to see them spread more and more, and I would like them to do it in their home country."
"Each character was so cute and pure that it made me want to cheer for them. The artists' smiles were so beautiful and their gorgeous, honest expressions really touched my heart," said Ikeda.
Shen Yun will next perform at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona, from Feb. 11 to 13.