Frank and Laura Wright enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show at the Long Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 21, 2026. Sonia Wu/The Epoch Times
AUSTIN, Texas—Retired company VP Frank Wright and his wife, Laura, a realtor, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show at the Long Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 21. The couple had planned for years to see the production and were very happy to finally have the opportunity.
“I thought it was fabulous. It’s wonderful. I loved all the costuming and the athleticism. It was just beautiful,” Mr. Wright exclaimed at the end of the performance. “I loved the stories and the pageantry.”
“I thought with the screen plus the dancing going back and forth was very clever and creative. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It’s very interactive.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Its innovative digital technology creates seamless interaction between the backdrop projection and the performers on stage. By extending the stage to infinite realms, this patented 3D invention brings to the audience storytelling without limits.
Mrs. Wright was equally impressed. She was especially fascinated by the vibrant costumes. “I love all the fabrics and all the flowing,” she said. “They helped to tell the story; it was so much fun.”
“The one where the girls dance [with] the water sleeves—that was beautiful. It was fascinating how they controlled it.” These long, flowing sleeves, which were originally part of ancient Chinese women’s attire, symbolize humility and grace. They were often used as props in traditional court dances.
Shen Yun artists are masters of classical Chinese dance, an ancient and highly expressive art form dating back thousands of years. Unlike the modern, military-influenced styles often seen in China today, Shen Yun preserves and performs this tradition in its most authentic form, as it was originally passed down through generations.
Mr. Wright was a big fan of the story-based dances that told tales from ancient times to the present-day.
“I love the stories. I thought there was a lot of humor, and I liked learning about the tradition and the culture of old China. It was beautiful, very spiritual,” he explained.
China is “very old, [with] lots of tradition and history. I think it would be beautiful if it could come back. I like the fact that Shen Yun is going around and trying to tell the story of the culture of the country, which a lot of us don’t know.”
Mrs. Wright agreed. Unfamiliar with Chinese history, she found Shen Yun both educational and very spiritual. The story depicting deities descending from heaven to teach humanity traditional culture left a deep impression on her.
“It’s very, very interesting,” she said. “Made me want to study more.” She will absolutely be recommending the performance to her friends and family.
“I have three daughters. I think we need to buy tickets for them. We'll bring the family next time, for sure.”
