Beauty is Immortal

Coral Drouyn looks at the magic that is Shen Yun.

It’s strange to think that China is poised to become the world’s Superpower and yet we know so little of its culture. Part of that is the legacy of the 1940s cultural revolution, and the rest is simply the passing of time. But there is one company dedicated to keeping ancient Chinese culture alive, and presenting it, with all its beauty, in a way that enthrals a 21^st century audience.

Shen Yun Performing Arts Company started in 2006 in New York. Some of China’s finest artists realised that they would never have the cultural or spiritual freedom in their homeland to pursue their culture, and the only way to keep the 5,000 year old arts alive and continually growing was to find acceptance in another land. What started as a small group of exiles, has turned into a  philanthropic company incorporating 5 full touring companies, complete with symphony orchestras playing original scores for original works based on 5,000 year old stories and traditions. The companies tour across the world for about six months of the year, and the rest of the time, in their New York home quarters, they teach traditional dance as well as ballet, storytelling through the Tang and Song dynasties, Chinese vocal techniques, traditional instruments, costume making and even digital projection and animation.

So what makes Shen Yun different from the myriad of “Official” Chinese theatre productions that tour with their government’s approval? Well, for a start, Shen Yun has no political agenda, though it does have a spiritual one. Secondly, the entire operation is based on a “not for profit” manifesto. Every tour has to fund the next one, and keep the school going. There’s a constant battle between the CCP and Shen Yun – whose members practise the spiritual path of Falun Dafa, whose three main principles are truthfulness, compassion and forbearance. Despite the many attempts by the Government of China to bring Shen Yun down, it continues to thrive with standing ovations at most performances. The press gives rave reviews to performances and word of mouth suggests something special. Australian Ballet Alumna Steven Heathcote said upon seeing a performance, “It’s spectacular. The detailing, the costuming, the Choreography, the technology that’s used in the performance, it’s really…it’s quite breathtaking.” Cate Blanchett proclaimed it “Exquisitely beautiful. An extraordinary experience for us and the children.”

Now, with 2018 upon us, Shen Yun arrives with a brand new production based on the same traditional elements that have made it famous in just one short decade. This year they will give over 500 performances in 150 cities in 20 countries over 5 continents. That makes it one of the most successful touring companies in the world.  Most of the choreographers and composers are originally from China, while most of the dancers are ethnic Chinese from the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Taiwan, and Japan. The musicians are a very unique mix: along with players from China, they also hail from the U.S., Germany, Spain, Armenia, Bulgaria, and many other countries. Each company has about 80 performers, along with wardrobe, makeup and technical crews.

It’s a coup for the artistically assertive Arts Centre Gold Coast that a full company will play here on Saturday 20^th and Sunday 21^st January after a short run in Toowoomba. The company will then take a short break before heading to the Lyric Theatre in Sydney in early February. Given that we’ll be seeing the exact same show as audiences in the Lincoln Centre in New York, it proves that culture - and beauty - defy territorial borders. This is one of the “Must see” events of 2018….and we’re only in January.