SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Podcast Host Praises Shen Yun for Delivering a Divine Message

Feb 07, 2026

2/7/2026Updated: 2/7/2026

LONG BEACH, Calif.—Shen Yun’s performance left a deep spiritual impression on audience members, including podcast host Dean Hayek, who described the show as both sacred and transformative.

On the evening of Feb. 6, Mr. Hayek attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ opening performance at the Terrace Theater of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center with his family. Mr. Hayek hosts the podcast ‘Earth to Eternity.’ In addition to his podcast work, he is a businessman and a musician with many years of experience in theater performance.

After watching Shen Yun, Mr. Hayek praised the production for its reverence for the divine and for delivering what he described as a powerful spiritual message—that true salvation comes from faith in God.

“I absolutely loved it,” he said. “It was so magical and heavenly at the same time, and it gave you a tremendous amount of peace in your heart and in your mind.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Its mission is to revive China’s culture as it existed before decades of communist rule nearly destroyed it.

Mr. Hayek was also deeply impressed by the precision and coordination on stage. “The show was incredible, and the performers’ timing was impeccable,” he said.

Family member Destiny Zamorano, who attended the performance with Mr. Hayek, shared his enthusiasm.

“I really enjoyed the show,” Ms. Zamorano said. “It was very lively and full of energy—very awakening. The performers were wonderful, and the dancing was truly excellent.”

Ms. Zamorano, a banker, went on to highlight the production’s visual beauty.

“The costumes and the colors were so beautiful,” she said. “The dancers were so flexible—props to them. They did extremely well. I think they were amazing, and I would recommend that they continue doing this.”

Shen Yun’s mission to revive China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture through dance resonated strongly with Mr. Hayek, particularly given his background in music.

“I love the divine aspect of the show,” he said. “I’m also a musician—I play piano and guitar—so I was extremely impressed with all the music: the orchestra, the pianist, and the musician who played that Chinese instrument, it sounded Chinese—like a voice singing.”

Shen Yun features a live orchestra that combines both Eastern and Western instruments. The two-stringed erhu, the Chinese instrument that Mr. Hayek referred to, has a sound that leaves the audience entranced.

As a first-time Shen Yun viewer, Mr. Hayek felt that the depth of the stories deserved more than one viewing.

“To be completely honest, I feel like this is a show I need to see again,” he said. “I understood some of the scenes and some of the events, ... but I think it’s worth seeing again so I can gain a deeper understanding of the culture and the storyline.”

Mr. Hayek also noted that the values conveyed in Shen Yun closely aligned with those of his Christian faith. He said he deeply appreciated the performance for sharing what he described as a sacred and timeless message.

“This is absolutely the biggest takeaway,” he said. “Your salvation and your joy are not found in earthly things. They are found in the divine—in God—and by trusting in Him.”

Reporting by Linda Jiang 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.