SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Dance Competition Owner Fulfills Wish to See Shen Yun After 20 Years

Feb 09, 2026

2/9/2026Updated: 2/12/2026

LONG BEACH, Calif.—Robyn Sharp, the owner of a cheer and dance competition, and her daughter, Monique Sharp, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts on Feb. 8 at the Terrace Theater.

“[Shen Yun is] giving me 100 percent and I’m getting 100 percent,” Ms. Robin Sharp said.

She has wanted to see New York-based Shen Yun since 2006, when the company was established by elite artists who fled persecution by the Chinese Communist Party.

Twenty years later, her daughter and her daughter’s husband made that wish come true.

“Oh, my goodness. It’s just so gorgeous. I can’t believe it. The talent is extremely exciting,” Ms. Robin Sharp said.

Shen Yun is on a mission to present “China before communism” and revive people’s connection with 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and culture.

“I love it. It’s very well put together, and everybody’s wonderful. Very well poised,” said Ms. Monique Sharp, a director of the competition.

Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“I just feel like everyone is so excited and just gives it their all. That’s what I’m learning,” Ms. Robin Sharp said.

Aside from classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun’s artists are also trained in various Chinese ethnic and folk dance styles.

Ms. Robin Sharp said that she enjoyed the Men’s Mongolian Dance as well as the dance that came from the classic literature, “Journey to the West.”

“They are telling a great story. I’m learning a lot and loving it,” she said.

Ms. Monique Sharp enjoyed seeing the “Water Sleeves” dance as well as the role that Shen Yun’s costumes played in its storytelling.

The costumes in Shen Yun were designed by Shen Yun’s artistic director, D.F. The costumes are all designed to match the fashion worn throughout the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

“I love it. It’s very eye-catching,” she said.

Shen Yun’s website says, “China was once known as ‘The Land of the Divine.’” In many of the dance stories, there is a battle between the evil and the righteous. And in a dire situation, the divine will intervene and help those who deserve it.

“I feel like it’s just telling you to be a little bit more pure to yourself and true to yourself,” Ms. Monique Sharp said.

Reporting by Linda Jiang and Maria Han.

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