Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 year old culture from “China before communism” through classical Chinese dance and music. Audience members said they felt a connection to the divine, as well as a profound message behind the performance.
Gabriella Adamo, a physician, said, “Classical Chinese dance is truly astonishing. It’s graceful and pure poetry. The fact that artists are striving to pass on a culture with thousands of years of history is deeply moving. I believe values such as faith, tradition, and kindness should also be learned by younger generations and can serve as a universal message. For me, it was a wonderful experience.”
“Overcoming individual selfishness and opening ourselves, through kindness, to everyone’s inner world. Perhaps this is the divinity within us—realizing that we are not isolated individuals but small particles of a greater universe.”
“I really liked it, and I was deeply moved by the very profound and timely meaning of the show. It was truly touching, especially in contrast to what is lacking in today’s society. Unfortunately, many people seem passive, and perhaps we should adopt a more proactive attitude toward what we see, beyond art itself,” Elisa Panzeri, a marketing manager, said.
“I loved the explosion of colors that resonates in your heart and awakens you. It awakened something within me, and I was especially touched by the idea that external forces influence our inner sense of tranquility.”
Giusy Carnabuci, a business owner, said, “I gave this performance to my sister as a gift because when I saw it in 2018, I left the theater in tears. From the emotion, I wasn’t alone that time, and both the person next to me and I left in tears, because we were filled with an energy of love and positivity that completely filled our hearts. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, it’s marvelous. It’s like God coming down to Earth.’
“I then saw it again in 2022. It was still beautiful. That time I came alone and fully enjoyed it by myself. It gave me so much energy to face life’s challenges because it’s truly magical. It has history, it has roots. The music flows straight into your veins, and the dancers are truly the best of the best.”
“I felt a message of liberation and emotion. It was truly beautiful,” Aldo Tafidi, an ophthalmologist, said.
“I think it’s truly a wonderful performance. It introduced us to a China we don’t really know and reminded us of certain values we have gradually lost, so my sincere congratulations. It was moving and deeply engaging. You can clearly see that the artists put their hearts into it, which is a rare and precious virtue.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun has been touring the world since 2006, bringing traditional Chinese culture to life on stage, a divinely-inspired culture which the Chinese communist regime has sought to destroy since it took power in 1949.
Francesco Lervolino, a legal counselor, said, “I think it’s an excellent approach. Presenting it through performance makes it accessible to everyone, and through art, it helps people understand a difficult and turbulent chapter in Chinese history.
“This issue is rarely discussed in the West, which is why performances like this are an excellent way to learn about it and share it with the world. There are many forms of persecution in different places that remain unknown or are deliberately hidden, and using art and culture is a powerful way to bring this reality to public awareness.”
“The courage of these artists is deeply moving and should serve as an example for many, pursuing one’s beliefs and not stopping in the face of force and arrogance,” Ms. Adamo said.
Ms. Panzeri said, “I would like to thank them for their pinpoint, almost millimeter-perfect precision in dance, and for the profound spirit they conveyed.”
“My congratulations to them, and I hope they continue with perseverance. You can clearly see how much work is behind it. I truly hope they continue on this path. It has almost become a mission, and it’s something very beautiful,” Francesco Iervolino, a legal counselor, said.
