Shen Yun Returns to Ottawa for Ninth Season

In Chinese, Shen Yun means “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” Indeed that is exactly what audiences can expect from the 2015 performance of Shen Yun at the National Arts Centre.

“The show will be a lasting memory and the profundity of the Chinese culture will uplift their life,” says Shawn Li, sales manager for the Shen Yun Organizing Committee in Ottawa.

Viewers will be entranced for nearly two and a half hours with dancers effortlessly sweeping across the stage, cultural instruments ringing out from the orchestra and Chinese text being belted out by opera singers. The detailed costumes and digital background help add to the magic.

Returning with an entirely new program this year, Shen Yun will be in the nation’s capital from Friday, January 2, until Sunday, January 4. There will be two matinee and two evening shows, all expected to sell out fast.

“When we launch the campaign in November, tickets will go very quickly,” says Li.

When Shen Yun first performed in Ottawa in 2007, the show sold out five weeks in advance. In years following, attendance levels stayed strong prompting the NAC to sell standing-room tickets to help keep up with the demand.

Shen Yun Performing Arts was established in 2006 by a group of Chinese artists living in New York. Together, they had a dream of sharing China’s ancient culture with the world—a culture they argue, “that was once almost lost.”

The company claims over the past 60 years China’s communist government has attempted to destroy 5,000 years worth of the nation’s civil heritage. Shen Yun hopes to revive this divine traditional Chinese culture through the means of dance and music.

“People are inspired not only by the spectacular entertainment but the profanity of the culture,” Li comments.

Since 2007 the entertainment company has grown into four performance groups, each featuring 90 internationally renowned artists. For half the year, the groups travel sharing their passion with some 20 countries and 100 cities throughout Europe, North America and Asia.

There is no communication barrier in this performance, according to Li. “Everyone can appreciate Shen Yun because the show is so expressive shown through the universal language of dance and music, so everyone can enjoy.”

Shen Yun will be performing at eight Canadian venues in the new year, including the NAC. Other locations include Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto and Place Des Arts-Salle Maisonneuve in Montreal.

“People shouldn’t miss this lifetime experience,” says Li. “It will touch them on different levels.”

For more information about Shen Yun or to order tickets, visit their website.

They can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Photos: Courtesy Shen Yun Performing Arts