VALENCIA, Spain—On March 10, Carlos Flores Juberias, member of the Valencian Parliament and congress deputy, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show at the Palau de les Arts. It was his second time watching the show, and it was just as perfect as he remembered.
“I came back knowing that I was going to find a magnificent show of light, color, sound, movement, and a perfect representation of Chinese culture,” he shared.
“It’s a great opportunity, throughout the years, to be able to get closer to Chinese culture. Which is so close to us but we know so little about.”
He was particularly pleased with the artists’ story-based pieces, which presented universal values of kindness and generosity through light-hearted dances.
New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the communist regime.
For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.
For this reason, Shen Yun is banned from performing in China. In fact, prior to the artists’ arrival, the Chinese embassy sent letters to Valencian officials and the theater, pressuring them to cancel the performances and urging the deputies not to attend.
Mr. Flores Juberias said he is well aware of these pressures.
“As a member of Congress, I have experienced firsthand the pressure that Chinese diplomacy exerts on political demonstrations that they consider hostile to the Chinese political regime, and their definition of “hostile” is very broad, excessively broad,” he said. “But we are in Spain, this is a democratic country, this is a free country, and everyone is welcome.”
“One of the effects of coming to this show may be to raise people’s concern about what is happening in China beyond what we usually hear in the news,” he said. “Therefore, if, in addition to enjoying a good time, a good show, a nice evening, the Valencian audience begins to wonder what is happening in China…then Shen Yun will have achieved a double objective.”
Finally, he offered words of encouragement to the performers: “They are doing a magnificent job.”
“The clearest proof of this is these 20 years and these shows that are continuously sold out. We are at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, the capacity is 1,300 or 1,500 people, and there is not a single empty seat,” Mr. Flores Juberias said.
“I have been told that on other days the result has been the same, so it is clear that they are doing a great job. Keep it up.”
Also enjoying the performance was Claudia Poveda, a rhythmic gymnast and coach. She was moved to tears by the beauty of the evening.
According to its website, the name ‘Shen Yun” translates directly into “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” Ms. Poveda thought this name perfectly captured the experience.
“Wonderful. I cried,” she exclaimed. “I can’t tell you exactly what the words Shen Yun mean, but Yun is like the essence of Chinese dance—that really moved me. I’ve been a dancer all my life, and I really liked it. Honestly, it was very beautiful.”
“It was a very sweet sound,” Ms. Poveda said. “Very delicate and very tender. Beautiful.”
From the performance, she took home the message that “we need to reflect inward more and slow down a little.” She believes everyone should see Shen Yun in person, as it introduces a culture very different from what people in the West are accustomed to.
“It brings us closer to this culture of meditation and thought, and of taking care of the body,” she expressed. “I think that’s very important, and today, it’s lost. Or, I don’t know if it ever existed here.”
For the 2026 season, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies are bringing their stunning performances to over 200 cities worldwide. With a brand-new program each year, the company’s 20th anniversary marks another season full of fresh surprises for both first-time and returning audiences alike.
