SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Former U.S. Baseball Player Awed by Precision and of Shen Yun Performers

Feb 02, 2026

2/2/2026Updated: 2/2/2026

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.—Retired U.S. baseball player Steve Lyons and business owner Stacy Kaine attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee together on Feb. 1, at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Ms. Kaine had hoped to see Shen Yun for nearly a decade and was very happy to have finally experienced the performance. She thought it was “excellent and fantastic.”

“Oh, I love it. It’s colorful, bright, and makes you very happy,” she said during intermission.

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.

As a former athlete, Mr. Lyons understood firsthand the dedication and discipline required to deliver a performance of such caliber.

“I can’t imagine what kind of work they have to put in to learn every dance and then make sure they do it perfectly together,” he said.

“It’s beautiful. The costumes are very colorful and stunning, and the dancing is so precise. I sat there, looking for a mistake, and I can’t find any.”

“It’s just so nice to see everybody so perfectly aligned. It’s a long show, and there’s a lot of dancing, so it’s hard. That would be hard to be that precise on every one of their stories. So, it’s really beautiful.”

Mr. Lyons especially enjoyed Shen Yun’s story-based dances, which recount ancient legends from Chinese classics as well as modern-day stories that raise awareness of ongoing human rights issues in China under communist rule.

He also appreciated the bilingual hosts, who briefly introduced each piece to help the audience better understand the stories being presented.

“The moderators do a good job of telling us what’s coming up and what to look for,” Mr. Lyons shared. “[We] could get lost if they weren’t there to help explain the stories.”

Another highlight for Mr. Lyons was Shen Yun’s use of 3D digital backdrop to create a magical illusion for the audience and enhance storytelling. It came as a pleasant surprise.

“It’s kind of cool,” he said. “They jump out of the screen right onto the stage. The first time it happened, I kind of jumped a little bit.”

“I almost missed it, so I thought, ‘Oh, I hope they do that again,’ and of course, they do it many more times. … Then in one of the stories, when the old man stood up and then boom, he got young—I missed how that happened.”

According to its website, Shen Yun’s innovative digital technology creates seamless interaction between the backdrop projection and the performers on stage. “By extending the stage to infinite realms,” this patented 3D invention brings to the audience “storytelling without limits.”

When asked what he would say to the performers if given the chance, Mr. Lyons replied, “We’re very impressed with the dancers and the work they put in and how hard it is.”

“I think it’s just very impressive what they do ,and it’s really nice to see it,” he added.

Reporting by Linda Jiang 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.