BBC Production Manager: Shen Yun ‘Stunning to watch’
LONDON—Phillippa Tagg, a production manager for BBC television, was delighted with Shen Yun Performing Arts’ full-house matinee performance at the London Coliseum on Saturday, April 14.
“It’s a beautiful piece, well constructed, lovely storyline. It engages the audience and it is visually stunning,” she said.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, was established with the mission of “reviving the 5,000 years of the divinely-inspired Chinese culture.”
“Classical Chinese dance is at the heart of the performance, along with brilliant costumes, breathtaking projection, and an orchestra that combines both classical Western and Chinese instruments,” states the company’s website.
Ms. Tagg was particularly impressed with Shen Yun’s innovative use of an animated digital backdrop, which adds another interactive element to the performance. “The interplay between the effects, the video at the back with the live performance and the development of each piece is stunning to watch,” she said.
Classical Chinese dance “is a dance form based on profound traditional aesthetic,” according to the programme book. Ms. Tagg was particularly taken with the piece Lotus Leaves, where the dancers use full-circle fans to emulate floating lily pads in a blooming lotus garden.
She loved “how their little heads just pop up over the top of their fans.”
“I thought was really stunning and quite cheeky,” she said. “It’s a classic dance piece, so the expressions in between were beautiful.”
The precision required in the dance Sleeves of Silk also caught her attention. “Though they were very graceful, the close proximity of the dancers meant that nothing was misplaced, that they had to be so precise; you can certainly see the professionalism,” she said.
Ms. Tagg’s friend, an IT consultant for insurance brokers AON, also enjoyed the show. “I think it’s just great,” he said.
“It’s quite uplifting, nice to see.”
Reporting by Xue Li and Kat Piper.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world, with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company will next perform in Chicago at the Civic Opera House, April 19-22.
For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts.
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