SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Company Executive: Shen Yun Offers Deeper Understanding of China

Jan 11, 2026

1/11/2026Updated: 1/12/2026

WASHINGTON—After watching Shen Yun Performing Arts, John Morris, president of a computer security company, said the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company gave him a deeper understanding of how communism’s destruction of ancient beliefs and traditional values in China has contributed to a troubled modern culture.

On the evening of Jan. 10, the Shen Yun World Company presented its fifth local performance of the season at the Trump Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C. Mr. Morris, who was in the audience, expressed deep admiration for the performance, praising the dancers’ world-class technique as remarkable.

“The athleticism, the dance—it was just beautiful. It was a real scene,” Mr. Morris said. “It was just a beautiful, beautiful performance.”

Mr. Morris was especially impressed by classical Chinese dance, an art form he had never experienced before.

“Some of the very athletic spinning and twirling movements were really impressive,” he said. “Those were things I hadn’t seen before, especially in classical Chinese dance—particularly the men’s classical dance.”

Shen Yun’s New York-based dancers were accompanied by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which blends Eastern and Western musical traditions—a balance of sound that stood out to Mr. Morris.

“It was very nice—uniquely different,” he said.

He was equally struck by Shen Yun’s patented digital backdrop technology, which famously integrates the screen with the stage.

“I thought the backdrop techniques were very, very impressive and engrossing,” Mr. Morris said. “I hadn’t seen anything like that before, and I really enjoyed it. It truly drew the viewer into some of the scenes.”

Shen Yun’s 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.

Mr. Morris also felt the performance conveyed a profound spiritual dimension.

“You get a glimpse into the beauty, history, and culture of pre-communist China,” he said. “That spiritual message is interwoven throughout the show, and it comes across very strongly.”

Shen Yun was formed by a group of leading classical Chinese artists in 2006 in New York, with a mission to bring back the beauty and goodness of “China before communism.”

By following the stories portrayed on stage—from China’s glorious past to today’s spiritually empty society—Mr. Morris came to an important conclusion.

“The traditional ways that Shen Yun promotes, and the religion behind them, are important elements that the Chinese Communist Party is destroying and removing,” he said. “That causes problems in modern culture. That was the clear message.”

Traditional Chinese culture was deeply rooted in the spiritual and moral teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.

The performance also depicts the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners, including crimes of forced organ harvesting. Mr. Morris said he was already aware of these issues and noted that China’s extensive censorship system makes it difficult for people to obtain direct reporting or reliable information.

“It’s very hard to get direct reporting or be certain,” he said, adding that China’s “Great Wall” exists both physically and online.

Mr. Morris believes Shen Yun’s use of the arts to convey these truths is meaningful and effective.

“I think this kind of cultural exchange is a great way to share that message,” he said.

Reporting by Frank Liang and Olivia Li.

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