SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun in Paris: ‘True Harmony and Respect for Culture,’ Says Transportation Executive

May 03, 2026

5/3/2026Updated: 5/3/2026

PARIS, France—Just as Shen Yun began its 2026 European tour in France, it will also conclude the tour there in grand style, in the City of Lights, from May 1–10.

Labor Day in France also marked a wonderful immersive experience for Franck Guillemot. The SNCF executive was captivated from the very first scenes of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.

“It’s sublime. The acrobatics, the dancing, the blend of culture and folklore, the colors—everything is sublime,” he said, also highlighting Shen Yun’s “true harmony and respect for culture.”

Founded in 2006 in New York, Shen Yun has a mission to revive the rich traditional Chinese culture and its 5,000-year history.

A regular attendee and avid fan of French opera, the railway executive praised the artistic excellence: “The quality is remarkable! All the dancers are perfectly in sync; I didn’t notice a single misstep—it’s a performance of great precision.”

Classical Chinese dance, the foundation of Shen Yun’s dance performances, draws its techniques from thousands of years of ethnic and folk dances, street theater, and imperial court dances. Both athletic and graceful, it combines acrobatics with its basic postures and movements, while remaining incredibly expressive thanks to the dancers’ expression of “yun”—the ability to convey their deepest emotions through gestures and facial expressions.

Beyond the technical performance, Mr. Guillemot could feel the energy radiating from the performers: “All the dancers exude positive energy, and it feels good.”

For him, the artists’ expression of the human spirit was also very strong: “Every dancer is deeply committed to their art and truly radiates kindness.”

For him, the performance conveyed a message of both openness and unity: Shen Yun “can foster open-mindedness and enable all peoples to come together,” he said.

A Lot of Poetry

Pierre Gilot, CTO, saw Shen Yun at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, in Paris, on May 1, 2026. (NTD) — Pierre Gilot, CTO, saw Shen Yun at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, in Paris, on May 1, 2026. NTD

Pierre Gilot, chief technology officer (CTO) at an IT company, discovered Shen Yun and found the experience aesthetically pleasing, soothing, and deeply inspiring.

From the very first moment, he was won over. “I found the show charming and delightful, full of energy, and of high technical and artistic quality.”

The executive also praised “the choreography, which was both meticulous and refined,” before concluding, “It was a wonderful experience; I really enjoyed it.”

Mr. Gilot said he felt “a sense of calm, joy, happiness, and a lot of poetry! It was truly delightful!”

Shen Yun strikes a balance between “great kindness and dedication at the same time—a perfect balance between strength and gentleness,” he said.

You Can Feel the Connection

Shen Yun means “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” as the company revives China’s deeply spiritual culture.

“In ancient times, China was known as the ‘Land of the Divine,’ evoking a world where deities and mortals lived together on Earth,” according to the company’s website. It was said then that music, medicine, calligraphy, fashion, language, and many other aspects constituted a heritage handed down from the heavens. Buddhism, Taoism, and other disciplines were at the heart of society. Emperors sought the Way of Heaven, and daily life was punctuated by rituals connecting human beings to the divine.”

Mr. Gilot said he was particularly moved by the themes of divine inspiration.

“You can feel the link between the divine and the earthly, this divine connection,” he said, referring to certain paintings inspired by traditional Chinese spirituality, a central element of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ productions.

He concluded by highlighting the universal appeal of the production. “Respect for traditions is essential; we must learn to understand and respect the traditions of all countries and all cultures,” he said.

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.