Shen Yun Is ‘A Win for Everybody and Mankind,’ Says Birmingham Patron

BIRMINGHAM, U.K.—“I’ve not stopped smiling since the opening curtain,” said finance director Peter Hislop, who saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the ICC Birmingham Hall on Jan. 7.

“Absolutely mesmerizing … It’s absolutely stunning,” he said, “the costumes, the design, the way it flows, and the dancing technique is so special.”

“I just thought this was beyond—absolutely beyond!”

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Along with folk dances and solo performances, the production includes story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day.

Since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006, its mission has been to revive the traditional culture of China which has been on the brink of extinction since the Chinese communist regime seized power in 1949.

Mr. Hislop commented that Shen Yun’s mission to revive tradition is evident in “the professionalism, the techniques, and the practice” of the performers.

A story-based dance depicting the current persecution of the meditation practice called Falun Dafa made a lasting impression on him.

“I was quite impressed with the [persecution scenes] that show the communist state and what’s happened since 1949 and the effects it had on culture, art, and spirit,” he said.

“I’m very fortunate for where we live … I appreciate our own democracy.”

“I think people have left here with a different view. Or maybe they’ve walked through the door, the front door, and that’s a win for everybody and mankind,” he said.

“You have to see [Shen Yun] in real life to appreciate the style, the skill, and beauty … the video doesn’t do it … you will be blown away!”

Reporting by NTD and Jennifer Schneider.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.