Shen Yun Teaches Theatergoers in Austin With Fresh Take on Ancient Culture
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Trisha Brubaker and Ronald Johnson enjoyed Shen Yun at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 4, 2026. Sonia Wu/The Epoch Times
AUSTIN, Texas—The female dancers of Shen Yun flowed like water across the stage during a Sunday afternoon show, their long, translucent sleeves seeming lighter than air. Theatergoers at the Long Center for the Performing Arts watched and were spellbound by a mix of skill, freshness, technology, and ancient spirituality.
“Loved the sleeves,” said Ronald Johnson, a retired IBM consultant, speaking to The Epoch Times during the intermission. “The gymnastics, the jumps, the leaps—it’s just amazing.” The audience learned from Shen Yun’s emcees that many of the gymnastic techniques they were seeing were originally from classical Chinese dance—an ancient form that has become Shen Yun’s calling card.
Now marking its 20th birthday, Shen Yun has been touring the globe, on a mission to revive a culture that was “almost lost” during China’s destructive Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. Returning to myths and legends told through dance, the group inspires a return to traditional morals.
“It’s beautiful, it’s entertaining, but it also teaches people,” said Trisha Brubaker, a retired teacher. “Even though the beliefs might be different from mine, the dedication to that and the seriousness of how much it means to them is very poignant.”
The production value of Shen Yun does not take a backseat to its mission to teach and inspire. It has a full orchestra and a state-of-the-art 3D animated backdrop that interacts seamlessly with the dancers onstage. The design and the colors are appealingly fresh, even though the motifs—such as the dragon, cloud, and phoenix—are researched from ancient manuscripts from Chinese history.
Shen Yun’s ‘Costumes Are Outstanding’
Robert Fayyad enjoyed the matinee performance with friends Dale and Heidi Helley.
“Costumes are outstanding. They really are nice in color. It complements the dance moves. It really does,” said Mr. Fayyad, the director of a cybersecurity company.
Watching as the backdrop transported the audience to heavenly kingdoms, ancient palaces, and Chinese landscapes, Mrs. Helley said she and her husband were amazed by the digital backdrop. Shen Yun is “so beautiful, and they kind of jump into the back screen, and then they change clothes in front of us magically. It is amazing,” she said.
Shen Yun’s ‘Spiritual Message Was Very Impactful’
Steve and Kerry Peacock attend Shen Yun at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas, on Jan. 4, 2026. Sonia Wu/The Epoch Times
But the biggest impact Shen Yun delivers is a spiritual one. Since the company is, by its own admission, made up of Falun Gong believers, it is not allowed to perform in mainland China and is, instead, based in New York. Several of the sequences during the performance even depict Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted by communist officials onstage.
The audience in Austin seemed receptive to Shen Yun’s message.
“I just thought [the show] was tremendous, not only the choreography and the talent, but the spiritual message was very impactful, and I really resonated with that. And I appreciated the whole performance,” said Kerry Peacock, who attended with her husband Steve.
She added, “I wasn’t expecting it, and so that was what was really surprising. Not coming into it knowing anything and just being presented with it, just raw. I appreciated the whole message, and the talent was just tremendous.”
Mr. Peacock, a consultant, was struck by the cast’s commitment. “One of the other things that kind of struck me was—with all the tragedy in the world, there’s still beauty. And the music and performance was really impressive. Super impressive,” he said.
