NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 1, 2022 / In every part of the world, dance has been serving for centuries as an artistic expression and a powerful form of storytelling. When a show has performers from diverse backgrounds, the audience experiences a one-of-a-kind performance as the dancers or actors use different forms of expression, speech, and movement to engage with one another. One show, in particular, is Shen Yun, an international performing arts organization that travels far and wide to display the art of ancient Chinese culture. When it comes to Shen Yun's dancers, people often think that they are all from China, but in reality, their performers come from all over the globe.
Photo Credit: Shen Yun Performing Arts
A majority of Shen Yun's dancers are from overseas-their diversity and unique regional expression results in a show-stopping performance. With most of the individuals coming from the U.S., Canada, Taiwan, China, and Australia, Shen Yun also has performers from Japan, Korea, the U.K., France, and Germany, among other countries.
Below, is additional background information on Shen Yun's global group of performers, and a look into how they embody their individuality in their Shen Yun performances.
Kenji Kobayashi
One of Shen Yun's Japanese-born stars, Principal Dancer Kenji Kobayashi, joined Shen Yun in 2010 and has been with the company ever since. His hometown is Tokyo, which he considers his favorite city on tour. Even though greater Tokyo is the most populated metropolitan area on Earth, it is always nice for Kenji to go back because it brings him a sense of calm and, he adds, "it's always great to be able to go home."
Kenji's favorite character to portray in the Shen Yun production is Pigsy from Journey to the West, which he believes adds a sense of humor to the show. Though Pigsy is a fictional character, as Kenji notes, he can be quite challenging to play because he is a household name across Asia. Since everyone has an individualized image of what Pigsy should look and act like, it makes it difficult to perform in a way that will suit everyone's taste. Given how beloved a character Pigsy is in Asian culture, Kenji enjoys the challenge of taking on the role.
Lillian Parker
Another one of Shen Yun's star performers is Lillian Parker, who fell in love with Shen Yun after attending the show with her family for years as an annual tradition growing up. Little did Lillian know that she would one day be on the stage performing with the group. Originally from Toronto, Lillian stated that her colleagues could tell that her dance expression didn't always reflect the Chinese spirit, which she worked tirelessly to improve.
"I realized that I needed to adjust myself, so I started watching my classmates and people in Chinese movies, looking at the way they move. I noticed that they hold a lot inside. You can see their intentions and emotions, but it's like seeing them through a veil," she says.
Although each Shen Yun performer comes from a unique background, the dancers delve deep into the Chinese culture as they practice and perform. Their hope is, in addition to putting on a great performance, that Shen Yun will inspire more people of all ethnic backgrounds to explore this beautiful art form.
To learn more about Shen Yun, its history, and one-of-a-kind experiences, visit their site here.
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SOURCE: Shen Yun
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