SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Brings Traditional Chinese Culture to Life, Says Melbourne Theatergoer

Mar 08, 2026

3/8/2026Updated: 3/8/2026

MELBOURNE, Australia—Landscaper Herminio Nascimento and his wife, Agueda, a caregiver, enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts together at the Plenary Theatre on March 7. Seeing the performance for the first time, the couple was captivated by its artistry and vibrant colors from the moment the curtain rose.

“It’s beautiful. Something I’ve never seen before, the way the [digital screen] comes into life. It’s really, really nice. Very beautiful,” Mr. Nascimento exclaimed.

“The dancing, the storytelling—you can understand that even though there’s no talking. It’s really beautiful, it’s very nice.”

For Mr. Nascimento, one of the most memorable moments was the piece “The Legend of Master Zhang Guolao,” which tells the story of one of China’s Eight Immortals, known for riding backwards on his donkey.

“It made me laugh,” he said. “It was very funny. Well done.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Its mission is to bring back China’s 5,000 years of divine-inspired culture as it was before the spread of communism and atheism all but destroyed it.

Its production is comprised of a series of short pieces that takes its audience on a ride through the dynasties and across the vast regions of China. Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, the artists tell tales from ancient times to the modern day.

Mrs. Nascimento, too, enjoyed every aspect of the performance.

“Everything about it is just amazing,” she said. “The colors, the storytelling—I’m really, really enjoying it.”

She was especially moved by the story-dance depicting the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Dafa, a peaceful meditation whose practitioners upheld the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

“That really touched me,” she said. “When [the host] said it’s still happening today in China, that it’s really happening—my God, that’s sad because they can’t be free.”

“I just loved the way [Shen Yun is] telling the story by dancing and expressing themselves. That’s amazing. I love it, I really do.”

Though the company is well-beloved by audiences around the world, it is currently forbidden by the ruling Chinese regime from performing in China. In fact, many of Shen Yun’s founding members fled to America to escape persecution.

“I think their courage is just amazing,” Mrs. Nascimento reflected. “They do this performance—they can’t really show that in China, but bringing it for the rest of the world to understanding what they went through—amazing story.”

Mr. Nascimento agreed and urged Shen Yun performers to continue their efforts.

“It’s very beautiful, and the history behind it [will] probably get lost if nothing changes [in China,]” he said. “As long as they keep doing this, it opens up [traditional Chinese culture] for everybody to see. So, it’s very good.”

Mrs. Nascimento said she will “100 percent” encourage everyone to attend Shen Yun. “I love it, I highly recommend this show. It brings the culture alive.”

“Must come and see this,” Mr. Nascimento added. “It’s totally worth it. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen so far.”

Reporting by Jing Li 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.