Natalie Durkovic on SHEN YUN

Natalie Durkovic on 5000 years of Chinese Cultural history?   Some task.

Introduced by Chairman David Rush we wondered how Natalie Durkovic would cover such a subject in 20 minutes. Natalie a Monash graduate with strong interests in human rights issues with recent employment in public relation roles, notably and recently with SBS, soon demonstrated her support and love for Chinese culture.

In fact rather than be treated to a dry history lesson we were opened up to the wonderful and little known phenomenon of  "Shen Yun" the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company.  Enhanced by video clips of moments of performance of this group  we learnt that Shen Yun is a New York based non-profit organisation composed of often Chinese ethnic dancers sourced from around the world. Their mission through the medium of dance is to preserve and revive aspects of Chinese culture back to even  Confucian times and teachings.. 

This organisation now has 4 troops of dancers each together with a modern orchestra complete with key Chinese instruments that traverse the globe giving highly colourful and skilled dance performances on aspects of long past Chinese cultural history.   The dancers spend many years studying the dance form –quite different to ballet but equally or more disciplined . Training & learning is a full time occupation   Three aspects are stressed, technical skill, bearing and form.

As Natalie explained perhaps somewhat like Russia over the past century modern China has been driven by governments which have emphasised modern development and downplayed even discouraged activities which highlighted past culture and artistic achievements.   Even today there are conflicts between Shen Yun and the Chinese Government –indeed Shen Yun is not able to visit or perform in China.

It was a wonderful introduction to Shen Yun and doubtless many of us will seek to learn more by attending the show to be held in the Melbourne Arts Centre between 27 and 30 March this year.