SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Choreography Was Beautiful, Says Company Director

Mar 08, 2025

3/8/2025Updated: 3/9/2025

PHOENIX—Company director Lance Faber didn’t know what to expect when his wife suggested bringing their whole family to see Shen Yun Performing Arts at Symphony Hall on March 7. He was pleasantly surprised by how much both he and their children enjoyed the experience.

“I really enjoyed it. I didn’t know what to expect. The choreography was beautiful, the costumes were beautiful,” he said.

“The theme was a little bit different than I expected, but I really enjoyed it. [It was] more of a spiritual thing. A lot of it aligns with what I believe, so that was really neat.”

The New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the communist party.

For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.

The mission of these artists is to return to the world’s stage—the glory and beauty of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

Mr. Faber’s biggest takeaway from the evening’s performance is that “everything cycles” and the physical world that we see is but an illusion.

“We create things, they evolve, we try to oppress [them, but] the underlying fundamental beliefs—faith, always come out,” he said, reflecting on Shen Yun’s story-based dance set in present-day China.

The tale shares the idea that though our world is full of chaos and confusion when people uphold traditional moral values and treat each other with kindness, the divine will help them in times of trouble.

Mr. Faber’s son Kyle, a software developer, also found Shen Yun to be very uplifting. “It was fun. I very much enjoyed it,” he said.

Annie Gildner and John Allegretti enjoyed Shen Yun's evening performance at the Symphony Hall on March 7, 2025. (Yeawen Hung/The Epoch Times) — Annie Gildner and John Allegretti enjoyed Shen Yun's evening performance at the Symphony Hall on March 7, 2025. Yeawen Hung/The Epoch Times

Also in attendance were John Allegretti, a real estate company founder, and Annie Gildner, a former HR professional, both of them enjoyed the performance.

“This is the second time I’ve seen it. … Absolutely thought it was fantastic. It’s one of the most unique things [to play] here,” Mr. Allegretti said. “I love the part where they dive across the stage and go into the sky. I think that’s just pleasant.”

According to the company website, Shen Yun’s patented 3D digital backdrop is an innovative technology that works seamlessly with the live performers to extend the stage and enhance storytelling.

“They disappear into the backdrop. That’s really, really exceptional. It’s cool,” Ms. Gildner added.

She felt it was a great pity that Shen Yun is banned by the Chinese Communist Party due to the artists‘ commitment to reviving traditional culture and raising awareness for ongoing human rights issues in China.

“I just think it’s sad that they can’t perform like this in China. It’s terrible,” Ms. Gildner said. “I love [the performance.] The colors, the movements, the whole orchestration of it—it’s beautiful. The music ties in with the movements.”

She urges anyone who hasn’t seen Shen Yun to pick up a ticket. “It’s spectacular and it’s definitely worth seeing. Oh, it’s a must.”

Reporting by Sherry Dong, Yeawen Hung, and Jennifer Tseng.

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