(Clearwisdom.net) ADELAIDE, Australia--Australian Greens senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, attended the opening night of Shen Yun Performing Arts Company at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, May 6, with her mother-in law. She was full of praise.

"I really like the fact that the cultural stories have been represented, particularly the minority groups that are obviously struggling to get their own stories out there," she said.

Shen Yun, in its coverage of China's five thousand year history, incorporates the influences of a diverse range of ethnic groups, with dances from Tibet, Mongolia and the Miao people.

"I think that's really important, and to be able to express that through performing arts and dance," she said.

Senator Hanson-Young said there were many groups that were being oppressed in China and she commended Shen Yun from bringing that to attention in an accessible and artistic way.

"I think it is a very good way to communicate with the rest of the world, obviously whether it's Tibet or the Falun Gong, there's plenty of groups in China that are oppressed and being able to communicate and show that through art to other people, I think is really good."

To sum up however it was the application of the performing arts to express deeper themes that had most impressed her, she said.

"I liked the story that's being told, you can communicate through movement and colour and music without actually having to use words, that's what I liked."

Councillor: "It's certainly a stand out in my memory"

Adelaide City Councillor, Ralph Clarke and his partner Suzanne Green were taken with the beauty, skill and vibrancy of Shen Yun Performing Arts Company when they saw the show.

"Very skilled, very colourful and very enjoyable," he said. The music too was "intriguing". And it made him feel relaxed.

"They [Shen Yun Orchestra] performed beautifully, the music and particularly the two strings [instrument]."

The erhu is a type of violin with a long neck, a bowl like base and only two strings. Its origin is said to hark back to the Tang Dynasty, around 600 A.D.

"I don't know if I would describe it as haunting, but I could sit back and close my eyes and listen to it and actually feel very relaxed," said Councillor Clarke after hearing award-winning erhu soloist, Xiao Chun Qi, play her own composition Saving the Predestined.

"I thought it was wonderful," he said.

It was however, the contemporary scenes that piqued his more intellectual side.

"Well it was interesting--what I have never understood is why the Chinese Government is so repressive when it comes to the Falun Gong ... It raised questions, it raised questions in my mind," he said.

While Councillor Clarke feels he would like to know more about the spiritual and meditation practice Falun Gong, whose continuing persecution in China is depicted as one of the contemporary scenes in Shen Yun, he was glad the issue had been raised.

"I see no harm in raising contemporary issues within the overall structure of the program."

Ms. Green said she had been moved by the persecution scene Nothing Can Block the Divine Path but thought it had been well done.

"I was a little bit upset about the one--where the woman died because of her religious beliefs. I thought that was tragic," she said.

Councillor Clarke said he knew that China had "a long and distinguished history and a long and distinguished culture," but he had not seen it depicted much in current times.

Councillor Clarke, who is running for mayor in the next elections, said it had been a valuable experience to see Shen Yun and would tell others about it.

"I think it's worth their while coming," he said.

Adelaide City Councillor, Ralph Clarke and his partner Suzanne Green.

Sources:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/34850/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/34906/