SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Everything About Shen Yun Was Magnificent, Says Professional Dancer

Mar 14, 2026

3/14/2026Updated: 3/14/2026

MISSISSAUGA, Canada—On March 14, professional ballroom dancer turned clinic manager Sue-Maya Hawass attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show at the Living Arts Centre. It was her first time experiencing Shen Yun, and the performance left a deep impression on her.

She couldn’t help but praise the performers.

“I loved it. It was fabulous. Perfection. It was perfect, it was beautiful. I am a dancer also, so when I watched [Shen Yun,] I was impressed by the unity of everybody,” she shared.

“They were all synchronized, they were doing amazing. They felt like one unit. That was my favorite part about the show. Also, the expressions, the stories, the singing—everything about it was magnificent. It was very beautiful.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance—an art form with a history spanning thousands of years, celebrated for its athleticism and expressive power. What many may not realize is that numerous tumbling techniques often associated with gymnastics and acrobatics actually originate from classical Chinese dance.

According to the company’s website, the classical Chinese dance seen in China today is heavily mixed with military and modern styles. Only at Shen Yun can the audience experience it in its purest form, preserved as it was passed down through generations.

“In a group dance, it’s very hard to synchronize.” Ms. Hawass emphasized, “So, to see it very synchronized—all the way to the fingers, to the toes, even the face expressions, the walk—it was very beautiful to watch.”

Even with the way they walked, “they stay the same level, there’s no ups and downs. You can see they work all of their life on this, and on the top of it, as a group, they work really well together.”

“I watched the hands, I watched the feet, even to the flex foot to the point foot, the fingers and their clothes, and the certain movements that they were doing—they were all in sync. It’s even the head movements … that was very interesting to see to be able to synchronize that much.”

Shen Yun’s performance comprises a series of short pieces that take its audience on a journey through the dynasties and across the vast regions of China. Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun tells tales from ancient times to the modern day.

Comparing classical Chinese dance to ballet, she felt that Shen Yun dancers “look a lot more agile, whereas ballet is very straight up.”

“All the tumbling and the movement and the jumping around—they’re very light on their feet. So, it was very beautiful to see.”

Having wanted to see the show for a long time, Ms. Hawass said the evening felt magical, and she is eager to learn more about Shen Yun.

“I wanted to know more. It was just really nice. I was happy to see also, the colors and the clothing was very beautiful,” she shared.

“They were super modest, and I loved that. The way that they’re acting, it wasn’t to be revealing or anything; it was more of expressing and telling a story, and I like that. In term of communication, it was very polite, very modest.”

Since its establishment in 2006, the company has earned widespread acclaim. Each year, Shen Yun artists present a brand-new set of choreography and musical compositions, ensuring that both new and returning audience members are always in for a surprise.

Reporting by NTD and Jennifer Tseng.

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