SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Artists Are ‘Very Superior,’ Says Dance Instructor

Mar 12, 2026

3/12/2026Updated: 3/12/2026

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Dance instructor Jim Williamson attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show on March 11 at the Koger Center for the Arts. As he exited the theater at the end of the evening, Mr. Williamson said Shen Yun is an “expression of love and peace and harmony among people.”

“I was watching very carefully, and everything that I saw was about overcoming oppression, which we all believe should be done [in] every country in the world,” he said. “I very much support what is being done. Shen Yun should carry on forever.”

Upon learning that the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary, Mr. Williamson responded happily, “Good start. I hope it goes 200 more.”

Endowed with 5,000 years of history, China was once known as the “Land of the Divine.” For millennia, its people believed that by keeping their hearts pure and adhering to strict moral standards, they will be blessed by the divine.

Indeed, for 5,000 years, the country prospered. However, after the communist takeover and the spread of atheism, all this traditional culture was systematically destroyed. Today, Shen Yun’s mission is to bring back the beauty and goodness of China before communism.

Reflecting on the destruction of traditional Chinese culture, Mr. Williamson said: “It should never have gone that way.”

“This regime of communism needs to be squashed. There are a lot of countries, who have realized this, and they’ve done away with it. This is what will bring the world back to harmony,” he said.

A dancer himself, Mr. Williamson paid close attention to Shen Yun’s dance performances and said the artists are “very superior.”

“It’s very superior because of the harmony and the movements that are practiced to perfection,” he shared.

“I didn’t look for mistakes or any kind of flaw; I looked at the flow of things and how harmonious it was, and how each one of the dancers interacted with the other as if they were family. It was very important.”

Mr. Williamson also enjoyed the story dance recounting the tale of the Monkey King, a beloved character from the Chinese classic “Journey to the West,” as well as other stories highlighting the kindness and goodness of ordinary people.

“When the people were hungry, and they were looking for food [but] were rejected by people who thought themselves too proud, they were helped by people who were compassionate,” he recalled. “That shows us how we should [treat] each other also.”

Lastly, Mr. Williams would like Shen Yun’s performers to know that “every one of the artists did a wonderful job.”

“The orchestra was superb, and I really, really enjoyed the pleasure and honor,” he added. “This is my first time seeing the show, and I will be back every year.”

Reporting by Yeawen Hung 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.