SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘A Great Experience’: Canadian MPs Impressed by Shen Yun’s Captivating Display of Chinese Culture

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‘A Great Experience’: Canadian MPs Impressed by Shen Yun’s Captivating Display of Chinese Culture
Conservative MP Anna Roberts attends a Shen Yun Performance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ont., on March 28, 2026. Evan Ning/The Epoch Times
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TORONTO, Canada—This year, Conservative MP Anna Roberts saw Shen Yun Performing Arts for the fifth time, and said she is always surprised by the quality of the performances.

“Every time I come, it always surprises me—the culture, the storytelling, the history, the costumes, the artists. Unbelievable. It’s such a great experience,” Ms. Roberts said after attending the show at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto on the evening of March 28.

The New York-based classical Chinese dance and music company’s mission is to revive China’s 5,000-year-old culture, which has been nearly lost under communism. Founded in 2006, Shen Yun performs under the slogan “China Before Communism” and travels to hundreds of cities each year to present an entirely new program to a global audience of millions.
Although Shen Yun celebrates traditional Chinese culture, it is not allowed to perform in China, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has engaged in decades of political campaigns to eradicate traditional cultural heritage. The CCP views Shen Yun and its mission to revive traditional Chinese culture as a threat to its power.

Ms. Roberts said political parties like the CCP “should not interfere” with showcasing the country’s culture.

“If you don’t display your culture, then the people don’t learn,” she said. “It’s very unfortunate that they do that. Very unfortunate.”

However, Ms. Roberts noted that the March 28 show in Toronto was sold out, which she said indicates that people will still come to see Shen Yun despite the CCP’s interference attempts.

“Nothing can stop them from enjoying your culture, your storytelling, and the performance. So it doesn’t matter what they [the CCP] do,” she said.

Reflecting on Shen Yun’s mission to revive traditional culture and universal values through its performances, Ms. Roberts said she was “blessed” to be raised by her grandmother and great-grandmother, who taught her to treat people with respect.

She also said she encourages anyone who has not yet seen Shen Yun to make the time to do so.

“I invite you to take time out of your daily lives and come and enjoy the storytelling, the culture, the history,” Ms. Roberts said. “The whole dynamics of this show will leave you breathless.”

“The performance is unbelievable. If there was an award presentation, they [the artists] should all get one,” she added.

‘Truly Incredible’

Conservative MP Michael Guglielmin saw Shen Yun for the first time on March 28 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts and said the show was “absolutely incredible.”

“I just love the expression of culture and just a window into the traditional ways of the Chinese culture,” he said after the evening performance, adding that his wife would love to see the show as well.

Conservative MP Michael Guglielmin attends a Shen Yun Performance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ont., on March 28, 2026. (Evan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Conservative MP Michael Guglielmin attends a Shen Yun Performance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ont., on March 28, 2026. Evan Ning/The Epoch Times

In addition to the portrayal of traditional Chinese dance, Mr. Guglielmin said he was impressed by Shen Yun’s orchestra and the digital animation that is integrated into the performances.

“The animations—that was just truly incredible. It added another layer of life to the performance. So well done,” he said.

Shen Yun portrays China’s divinely inspired traditional culture, as China was once known as the Divine Land. Before communism took power in China, people lived by principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, according to the performing arts company’s website.

Mr. Guglielmin noted that Shen Yun’s mission to revive China’s ancient history and tradition is “beautiful.”

“We all start from somewhere and to have, like I said earlier, a window into that past through art is truly the best way for one to experience that in a wholesome manner,” he said.

Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance, a comprehensive and athletic dance system that dates back thousands of years and features flips, leaps, spins, and other difficult tumbling techniques.

“I’ve never seen such talented people onstage,” Mr. Guglielmin said. “I hope that they keep their journey alive and they keep bringing that window of traditional culture into the present.”

Reporting by NTD and Olivia Gomm.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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