(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts' tour of Australia has come to a close with their last show at the Lyric Theatre on Wednesday night, June 3. The New York-based company is continuing on to Hawaii as it completes its 2010 World Tour, bringing joy to people from all walks of life in its divine vision of cultural renewal.

Business Owner: Shen Yun "Eleven out of Ten"

Keith Sykes originally comes from England and runs his own business as a training consultant in engineering workplace health and safety. He attended Shen Yun with his wife, who is a retired dancer. The couple will soon be travelling to China on holiday so they decided to come and see Shen Yun to get a taste of Chinese culture before their trip. They have already spent a lot of time in Asia, mainly in Vietnam and Taiwan.

Business owner Keith Sykes

Mr. Sykes had felt an underlying message in the show about the current situation in China where the spiritual discipline of Falun Gong is being persecuted. One of the dances portrays a mother and her daughter being arrested for practising Falun Gong. He said, "Yes, I got a bit teary on the one about the beings coming down and the little girl being taken away. Yes, and them all going back up, I thought that was great."

He continued with his overall impression of the performance, saying, "A lovely big strong belief because they are a different culture to us, and I like that spiritual side of things. So for me, I'll give it an 11 out of 10. It was just great--a new experience."

Mr. Sykes will be telling his friends that they must come and see Shen Yen, adding, "To see it is to believe it, because there are not many people that know much about it. Well worth seeing, worth every penny. It can reach anybody and everybody. It was really just great, I can't say anything else."

Yoga Teacher: "Very spiritual"

Natasha Evelsten is a yoga teacher and attended Shen Yun with her mother, who is a former teacher and model.

She found the show "very spiritual which I really liked, being a yoga teacher."

Ms. Evelsten concluded with her thoughts on the current situation in mainland China where practitioners of the spiritual discipline Falun Gong are being persecuted. She commented, "I thought that was really interesting and brave. I really support that because we teach that every day when we're teaching yoga as well, the same, what we're doing here on the planet and the need to change, the need for people to remember that.

Publisher: "The message was loud and clear"

Umesh Chandra, publisher of the Brisbane Indian Times, has seen every Shen Yun Performing Arts show since 2006 when it began its Australian annual world tour, and this year's show did not disappoint.

The president of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin, Queensland chapter said, "I have been to all four, but this year I think the message was very much loud and clear, and I think it was done in a very professional manner. I would highly recommend this show, amazing, just brilliant."

"I think one of the things that really stood out was the little bit of boldness in the production ... ."

Mr. Chandra was talking about two dances, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, and Astounding Conviction that both highlight the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party.

"I thought it was amazing, the choreography, the light, the sound, the costumes were just amazing, but I think the more important thing was the message, the message of humanity, the right to practice religion," he said.

Reverend: "It was very inspiring"

Reverend Alexandra Gater, who is among the first indigenous female ministers in the Anglican Church in Australia, was also in the audience for Shen Yun's final Australian performance this year.

Reverend Alexandra Gater with Hoeroa Robert Mani.

As part of her ministry, Reverend Gator said she visits aboriginal people who are struggling in hospitals, prisons, parks, and homes, and felt she could relate to the suffering of Falun Gong practitioners in modern day China, depicted in a number of contemporary pieces performed by Shen Yun.

"It was very inspiring for me and what I felt."

Reverend Gator came with 'Uncle' Geoff Gator and it was the first time they had seen Shen Yun.

Mr. Gator was taken by the dance Astounding Conviction where a man is beaten and illegally detained by police just for holding a simple banner on Tiananmen Square with the words 'Falun Dafa is Good.' Higher beings see that he is ultimately rewarded for his convictions.

Mr. Gator said it reminded him of tales of higher beings in aboriginal culture and remarked that it was one of the strengths of Shen Yun that the performances were able to "blend" or make universal, values for a broad audience.

Sources:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36653/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36682/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36772/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36781/