SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Depiction of the Divine Is ‘Really Powerful,’ Says Actress

Jan 19, 2026

1/19/2026Updated: 1/19/2026

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—Actress and painter Sara Montez found herself unable to hold back tears while attending Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 18. The experience exceeded her expectations.

“It was very moving. I loved all the stories and the history, and even just the name and what it all stands for really resonates with me,” she said.

“I do believe we’re all divine beings here on Earth, that’s meant to express our beauty and share with one another. So, getting to see that was really powerful. It was so graceful, which meant that there was so much strength behind it, and that really got me a lot.”

The name “Shen Yun” translates to “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” The New York–based company was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled persecution by the communist regime.

For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine would bless those who upheld traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades following the communist takeover, these beliefs were suppressed and replaced with atheism.

Shen Yun’s mission is to return to the world stage the glory and beauty of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

Ms. Montez enjoyed all the dances and was wowed by the performers’ skill. Both her parents and boyfriend are professional dancers, so she knows quality dance when she sees it.

“I wish I was that graceful,” she said. “Every culture brings their little something different to the table. I think the fluidness of [Shen Yun’s] dance and the fluidness of the music and the way that it moves poetically was really different [from other performances].”

She also found the orchestra’s blend of Eastern and Western musical traditions “incredible.”

“I wish I knew more history on it. It was one of the first exposures in person to it for me, and I just felt lucky to be able to witness and to hear it all.”

Shen Yun’s story-based dances, which recounted both ancient and present-day stories, also left a deep impression on Ms. Montez. She found them “incredibly moving” and “very aligned” with her own beliefs.

“I live for values, community, and good connections with people,” she stated. “So, getting to see that in the performance and the movement of the dancing that was not only comically expressed, but very heartfelt at the same time—it was really a treat to be able to see this today.”

Lastly, she would like to tell Shen Yun’s performers, “thank you for all the gifts in your life.”

“It truly is a blessing, and it really inspired me to want to go out and express myself—and not only love myself a little bit deeper in my own art too, but to share that with other people and to see that with more types of cultures in the world. So, thank you,” Ms. Montez said.

Reporting by Tina Deng 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.