ROUEN, France — On Jan. 12, a large crowd gathered at the doors of the Zénith in Rouen to attend Shen Yun. The former capital of the Duchy of Normandy made history in 1431, when St. Joan of Arc was executed there in the public square, burned alive after leading the French king’s army to victory against the English.
Among the audience was Sophie Le Breton, a ballet enthusiast. A former dancer at the Théâtre des Arts in Rouen, she has remained close to the world of dance and now runs a sports and dancewear store.
“Wonderful!” she exclaimed after the performance. “I’m discovering classical Chinese dance, it’s wonderful! I didn’t know anything about the synchronicity, the technique … It was truly wonderful. I discovered a very, very, very beautiful world!”
This former dancer, who performed in a ballet company, was particularly impressed by the artistic level of Shen Yun’s performers.
“It’s a very, very high level. At the very least, higher than the Paris Opera! It’s too beautiful! The girls are wonderful, the boys are splendid. The jumping techniques, the pirouettes, the synchronicity, the harmony … everything is perfect. Truly perfect!”
Ms. Le Breton said she felt a connection to the spiritual during the performance, particularly through “the music of the orchestra and certain instruments, especially the string instruments, which were wonderful.”
She was also delighted to learn about Fei Tian School in New York, which teaches classical Chinese dance, and even expressed a desire to learn the techniques herself, as she found the dance system so comprehensive.
Chinese classical dance draws its movements from several millennia of traditions, originating from both imperial court dance and popular theater. It combines fundamental postures, acrobatics, jumps, pirouettes, and spins.
Through Shen Yun’s dance and song performances, Ms. Le Breton said she also enjoyed discovering “a spiritual world.”
“It was magnificent,” he said. “The costumes were magnificent, the music … We were truly in a bubble!”
“I loved the choreography, the colors, the orchestra. I really enjoyed it from start to finish,” added Mrs. Baron.
She was also touched by Shen Yun’s values, particularly “in terms of history, cultures, and beliefs.”
“I found that there were a lot of positive messages. They dared to talk about it!” she said.
“Love, kindness, caring for others…” her husband added.
Mrs. Baron said the performance conveys a beautiful message. “It’s not just dance, it’s much more powerful than that,” she said.
For Mr. Baron, Shen Yun brings “the hope of seeing that there is goodness and love in human beings. We can also help each other between people and between generations.”
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