SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Makes You Feel Like ‘You’ve Seen Something Divine,’ Says Theater President

May 11, 2025

5/11/2025Updated: 5/11/2025

PHILADELPHIA—Anne Donington and Berne Siergiej had seen Shen Yun Performing Arts a few years ago, and when they heard it was returning to Philadelphia, they said to each other that they had to see it again—not once, but twice.

On May 8, the couple saw Shen Yun at the Miller Theater, and on May 11, they returned again for Shen Yun’s last performance in Philadelphia, on the last day of the New York-based company’s 2025 tour.

“Just the whole experience of the Chinese and the view of all the colors and the dance was absolutely unbelievable,” said Ms. Donington, who is retired from running her own insurance company. She and her husband saw Shen Yun at the Miller Theater on May 11, the last day of the New York-based company’s 2025 tour.

“I thought it was a splendid extravaganza that was so well done and choreographed, and I love the screen in the background and how the actors coordinated with that screen and the dance and synchronization. It was just wonderful, absolutely wonderful,” said Mr. Siergiej , a semi-retired attorney and the president of the Act II Playhouse theater.

The couple said this would not be their last time seeing Shen Yun, and tried to explain what made the experience so incredible.

“You just feel good when you leave the show,” Mr. Siergiej said. “You just feel like you’ve seen ... You’ve seen something divine.”

Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, credited with the revitalization of this ancient art form that had thoroughly impressed Ms. Donington and Mr. Siergiej.

“The dancers were absolutely amazing. The choreography of the whole thing was just outstanding,” Ms. Donington said, as her husband quipped, “I can’t believe their joints move that way.”

Classical Chinese dance is a famously expressive art form; it shares roots with Chinese opera and theater, and developed alongside the arts of ancient China for millennia, soaking up wisdom and culture from every dynasty. It also shares roots with traditional martial arts, and includes tumbling techniques like the high-flying flips and leaps that later inspired sports like gymnastics and acrobatics.

Ms. Donington and Mr. Siergiej recalled these feats with joy. “They can jump so high,” Ms. Donington said with a laugh, and Mr. Siergiej added, “They jump so high and do backflips without even touching. They just flip right over. It’s amazing.”

“It’s just so wonderful,” Mr. Siergiej said. “It’s just a wonderful show. Absolutely wonderful. Everybody should see it to really understand how this is done,” Ms. Donington added.

A lover of theater, Mr. Siergiej was inspired by Shen Yun and said that it was one of the reasons they come back to see it when possible.

“It’s hard to describe, which is why we want to keep coming back and seeing it, because it’s so well done,” Mr. Siergiej said. “The music blends with the dancing, with the acting, you know, nobody’s saying any words. Beautiful. Expressions on their faces. And so, we were here on Thursday, we saw the show from the front row. We were in the first row of the orchestra. Today, we wanted to see it again from the balcony, from up here, so you could see different things.”

“It was absolutely amazing. So we have to come see it again and again,” Mr. Siergiej said.

“I think the show is trying to convey goodness in the world,” Mr. Siergiej added. “It’s a good experience to make people feel good after they’ve seen the show. They go home, and they’re happy with the experience, and hopefully with their lives.”

“Just absolutely outstanding. Just loved it. Loved it,” Ms. Donington added.

Reporting by Frank Liang and Catherine Yang.

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