SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Orlando Theatergoers Enjoy Energy of Shen Yun

Apr 28, 2026

4/28/2026Updated: 4/28/2026

ORLANDO, Fla.—Ginny Adkins and Thord Pettersson saw Shen Yun Performing Arts on April 27 at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

“I love the colors and the dancing. I love the energy and it’s more colorful than I thought. It really is beautiful,” Ms. Adkins, a broker and real estate investor, said.

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

“This is superior. I’m sitting there, I’m feeling so happy—I’m just smiling,” Mr. Pettersson, a director of engineering, shared.

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

“You can see [the energy] on their faces. And we’re sitting close enough to see their faces. I love to see the energy of the dancers. They are enjoying it, and that makes it more fun to watch,” Ms. Adkins said.

Shen Yun’s website states that classical Chinese dance training includes three main components—technical skill, form, and bearing, which is one of the many ways that the art form is different from ballet.

“We were just talking about how precise and how technical that was. It has to be so much training. I grew up as a dancer, so I know the technique that’s required up there is very impressive,” Ms. Adkins said.

One of the many things that sets classical Chinese dance apart from ballet is the footwork. While ballerinas dance en pointe, female dancers of classical Chinese dance use small, quick steps called “yuan chang,” which gives the illusion of the dancer floating across the stage.

“I’m an engineer, so I like the precision of everything they do. They are so coordinated. And the flow of the girls when they are moving across the stage, they’re just floating, they’re not moving,” Mr. Pettersson said.

Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The versatility of the technology allows the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye, giving the stage endless possibilities.

“The decoration you have behind the scene or all the footage—it’s so bright. It’s so cool how they have incorporated the dance with things on the screen,” Mr. Pettersson said.

Mr. Pettersson shared that he and Ms. Adkins are in-laws. Their children will be attending another Shen Yun performance.

Reporting by Nancy Ma 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.