SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun in Aix: ‘Simply Magnificent and Unique,’ Says Chocolatier Daniel Eynard

Apr 18, 2026

4/18/2026Updated: 4/18/2026

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France—As it has done every year for over a decade, the Shen Yun Performing Arts company has returned to enchant audiences in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille with its unique music, accompanied by the finest in classical Chinese dance.

Daniel Eynard had been waiting for the Shen Yun posters to go up for a while so he could buy tickets for his mother, his daughter, and himself.

A chocolatier based in Venelles, near Marseille, Daniel Eynard is the son of Michel Eynard, a chocolatier who had moved to Côte d’Ivoire and produced chocolate made from cocoa pods grown exclusively in that West African country. Since 2007, Mr. Eynard’s Moulin du Cacao has offered a fine selection of 100 percent Ivorian chocolates, with full control over the production process, from plantation to the chocolate confections sold in the shop. This graduate in food science successfully combines technical rigor with artisanal expertise to craft all his own chocolate delicacies. He describes himself as a “theobromer”—a term derived from theobromine, the caffeine-like substance that gives cocoa its distinctive aromas—and is also featured in the Gault&Millau guide.

On Wednesday, April 15, the chocolatier was finally able to immerse himself in the divinely-inspired world of Shen Yun.

“Simply magnificent, and also a bit unique,” the chocolatier said. “Since we’re all musicians in the family—and my daughter is also a dancer—we absolutely had to come together. So we invited my mom: three generations came together to see the show.”

‘A Perfect Harmony of Music, Dance, and Visuals’

“The whole thing is magnificent,” daughter Laetitia Eynard, a pediatric nurse, said. “From the instruments to the decor, everything is perfect! Excellent!”

“Top-notch,” Mr. Eynard said. “The harmony between the orchestra, the dance, and the cinematography was also outstanding. It was the first time I’d seen such seamless integration between dance and cinematography—it adds a whole new dimension to the show!

“As for the orchestra, it was truly top-notch with highly skilled musicians, a wonderful string section, all the other instrumental sections, and even the traditional instruments, which were a real pleasure to discover as well. The sound was truly excellent!”

Shen Yun has made it its mission to revive “China before communism” by showcasing the rich traditional Chinese culture that spans 5,000 years of history. To achieve this, the company chose classical Chinese dance as the foundation of its dance performances. The Shen Yun Orchestra accompanies the dancers with a unique ensemble that combines the sounds of a Western symphony orchestra with those of Eastern musical instruments such as the gong, the pipa, and the erhu.

A Shared Musical and Artistic Experience

Christiane Eynard, a violinist, was introduced to the erhu at Shen Yun Performing Arts in Aix-en-Provence on April 15, 2026. (NTD) — Christiane Eynard, a violinist, was introduced to the erhu at Shen Yun Performing Arts in Aix-en-Provence on April 15, 2026. NTD

Christiane Eynard, Daniel’s mother, has been playing the violin since childhood and is a member of a musical ensemble in Aix. The violinist was delighted to discover the painting of the soloist playing the erhu, a two-stringed Eastern fiddle capable of expressing an infinite range of sounds.

“It was so beautiful! The bowing technique—all those drawn and staccato bow strokes—it was truly poetic with the pianos and fortes, the glissandos and pizzicatos. It was marvelous; she’s a great artist!” Mrs. Eynard said.

She is also very enthusiastic about discovering Chinese classical dance: “My granddaughter and I love dance. It was truly amazing! With pirouettes like that, they’re not just dancers—they’re acrobats too.”

Indeed, classical Chinese dance draws its techniques and movements from thousands of years of practice, drawing inspiration across the dynasties—from ethnic and folk dances, imperial court dances, and even street theater. Classical Chinese dance is therefore considered one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world, as it combines postures and movements with acrobatics such as jumps, twists, and pirouettes, while remaining highly expressive.

To help the audience better understand the context of the stories told in Shen Yun’s dance performances, two emcees introduce each scene, blending humor with educational insight. Mrs. Eynard was quick to praise the performance: “I had a wonderful evening—it was very well organized thanks to the two emcees who introduced the performances and were absolutely fantastic! Everything was flawless.”

Ms. Eynard described the show as “very peaceful, too—a pleasure to watch and listen to. You really leave feeling at peace.”

Mr. Eynard concluded by praising Shen Yun’s mission: “It’s a wonderful initiative, because it’s precisely by preserving our traditions and our past that we can move forward. In any case, congratulations to the entire team.”

Reporting by Sarita Modmesaïb and translated from the French language Epoch Times by Sonia Rouleau.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.