American Family With Ties to China Applauds Shen Yun’s Efforts to Preserve a Cherished Cultural Legacy
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Debra Celovsky (R) and her daughter, Jessica Brown (L), enjoyed Shen Yun’s performance at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco on Jan. 3, 2026. Nathan Su/The Epoch Times
SAN FRANCISCO—A family with deep personal and historical ties to China attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco on Jan. 3.
Church elder Debra Celovsky and her daughter, Jessica Brown, shared their thoughts after watching Shen Yun, expressing appreciation for the company’s mission to revive the traditional culture of China before communism.
Ms. Brown said the matinee brought together all the female members of her family across three generations—eight in total—all attending Shen Yun for the first time. They considered it part of their New Year celebration.
Ms. Celovsky said she enjoyed the Shen Yun performance in its entirety and was especially impressed by the integration of the digital backdrop with the dancers on stage.
“I thought it was very clever the way they combined the screen with the live performance,” she said, describing the effect of performers appearing to “fly into the screen and then come back out” as striking.
Shen Yun’s patented, high-tech animated backdrop complements and synchronizes with the live performance on stage, creating a visually engaging experience. This seamless coordination often brings big surprises, delighting the audience.
Ms. Celovsky said she understands and appreciates Shen Yun’s effort to revive traditional culture and showcase China before communism.
“I can understand the effort for them to do that, and how they don’t want so much of that to be lost,” she said. “China’s had a difficult history in recent generations. ... There’s been an enormous amount of suffering in that country. You can certainly understand the desire to reclaim so much of what has been lost.”
Ms. Brown said she was enchanted by the stunning performance, especially the elegance of the “water sleeve” dance. She also observed that Shen Yun presents “the story of pre-communism, communism, and then after.”
She noted that her prior knowledge of modern Chinese history helped her follow the storylines more easily.
When asked about Shen Yun’s efforts to educate American audiences about current events in China, both agreed that it is absolutely necessary.
Ms. Celovsky shared her family’s historical connection to China. In 1939, her grandparents traveled to southern China as missionaries and established an orphanage. They left shortly before the Japanese invasion.
“They had an enormous love for the Chinese people,” she said, noting that this experience was one of the most meaningful chapters of their lives.
She added that this family history gives them a strong sense of empathy for China’s suffering and the importance of preserving its culture.
Ms. Brown said that she is aware that China today is under “a very oppressive regime.”
