SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Effort to Revive Traditional Culture ‘Is Tremendous,’ Says Company Owner

Feb 22, 2026

2/22/2026Updated: 2/22/2026

McALLEN, Texas—Company owner Albert Villarreal brought his entire family to enjoy Shen Yun Performing Arts’ Feb. 22 matinee at the McAllen Performing Arts Center. It was a rare and one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience traditional Chinese culture.

“It was fantastic. The dancers were excellent. The [3D] scenes were very, very unique, very colorful,” Mr. Villarreal said.

“When I found out that the [music was from] an orchestra, I was really impressed. They had great talent out there, wonderful. Being here in Texas, we’re not exposed to that kind of music. It was amazing.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Since its founding in 2006, it has grown rapidly from one to eight equally sized companies, each touring with its own live orchestra.

Built on a foundation of classical Western orchestration, Shen Yun’s original compositions feature traditional Chinese instruments such as the two-stringed erhu and the pipa, an ancient lute.

Mr. Villarreal also appreciated the artists’ mission to revive traditional values and restore China’s divinely inspired culture as it existed before the rise of communism destroyed it.

“To learn more about the country and the history was really nice. [Shen Yun] brought that out to the forefront,” he expressed. “That was really nice, excellent.”

Their effort “is tremendous—big strides to bring it back and [remind us] not to forget our roots.”

Before the spread of atheism under the communist regime, Chinese society was deeply spiritual, with a profound belief in the divine. For thousands of years, the people’s values and day-to-day actions were strictly governed by the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

As a Christian, Mr. Villarreal thought the artists conveyed a very bold yet important message about the value of faith and belief in the divine.

Their message is “very strong. Not very many people will come out and do that. That says a lot about [their courage.] Excellent,” he shared. “I hope to see more.”

He encourages the artists to “continue the tradition.”

“Job well done,” Mr. Villarreal said. “We’ve forgotten our culture, our ancestors, what they stood for, and everything. Absolutely, [Shen Yun] brings back so much to the Chinese culture and what it means. It’s so beautiful.”

Reporting by Jane Yang 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.