SAN FRANCISCO—Real estate consultant Skip Whitney and his wife, Al, had been wanting to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for a long time. They were very happy to attend the company’s second performance at the War Memorial Opera House on Jan. 2.
“Spectacular, very colorful,” Mr. Whitney said. “It’s beyond my imagination. Very, very impressive. I have no idea how they can train and be so well taught.”
China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Its 5,000 years of history are filled with legends and rich traditions. Yet, within just a few decades following the rise of the Chinese Communist Party, this magnificent culture was almost destroyed.
As atheism spread, belief in the divine was suppressed, and the moral values passed down through the generations in the traditional beliefs in Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism were pushed aside. Today, New York–based Shen Yun seeks to revive this lost heritage and bring back the beauty of China before communism through classical Chinese dance and music.
Mrs. Whitney, who is a quarter Chinese, deeply appreciated this mission and said the performance was “very fun to see.”
“I love it. I just love it,” she said. “I love the colors, I love the dance, and the way they danced—they didn’t miss anything. The dancing is like water, smooth. I love it.”
Reflecting on Shen Yun’s use of the 3D digital backdrop that works seamlessly with the performers on stage, Mr. Whitney said he was very impressed. “[Shen Yun] has been able to blend the old and the new. It’s very, very exciting.”
Mrs. Whitney, too, enjoyed the effect. “It’s just like they’re floating around [on the screen] and then jump up [onto the stage.]—Amazing, amazing,” she said.
For its 2026 touring season, Shen Yun’s eight equally-sized companies will perform in over 200 cities across five continents. Met with wide acclaim since its establishment in 2006, the company returns each year with an entirely new performance.
Mr. Whitney said he hopes to return in the future to see Shen Yun again and wanted the performers to know that their mission to revive traditional culture and values is “well worth the effort.”
“I’m proud of [Shen Yun] for doing such a good job,” he said.
