Miss Canada: ‘I love it’

Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company staged its 2009 World Tour Calgary premiere at the Jubilee Auditorium on the afternoon of April 12, bringing in a full house. In the audience was Shannon Smadella, Miss Canada 2009.

“I love it. It’s beautiful. The music, the choreography, and the dance, ... just seem to come together to make the show so beautiful to watch,” she said during the intermission.

“The singer [Min Jiang] was amazing. ... It’s nice to feel the passion in her voice. It’s nice to be able to hear that aspect as well,” said Ms. Smadella, who is also a dancer, a yoga instructor and an experienced pianist.

“Everything seems to come together and work out very well, with the singing and the last instrument [the erhu] … is very beautiful as well. I can’t wait to see the rest of the show. It is really nice so far. The dancing and the stories that you see in the dancing—it just is really wonderful, it kind of brings everything together, and it’s nice to have a little bit of story behind it.”

Ms. Smadella entered the world of business at age 19 and continued to run her own business for seven years. She now is dedicated to charity and non-profit work and is working on her own TV show, Miss Perception, that is coming this summer.

Shen Yun’s 2009 World Tour is expected to reach a live audience of 800,000. After two more shows in Calgary, the show will play in Edmonton April 15, and April 16, and Regina on April 19.