NEWARK, N.J.—Musician and Emmy Award nominee Nick Balaban attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on April 29, where he found every aspect of the performance captivating.
“I love the dancing and the costumes and the music,” Mr. Balaban praised. “It’s great, it’s dazzling.”
“I like the [musical] arrangements, and I love the way it works with the dancing. It’s really well done.”
Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company.
Founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who fled persecution, the New York-based company is dedicated to reviving the beauty and virtues of China before the rise of communism. Its performance takes the audience through China’s dynasties and legends, while also raising awareness for the ongoing human rights challenges in present-day China.
Its live orchestra uses classical Western orchestration as a foundation to highlight traditional Chinese melodies and instruments, such as the two-stringed erhu and the ancient lute, the pipa.
As a fellow musician, Mr. Balaban was impressed by the company’s original compositions and thought the artists blended Western and Eastern musical traditions very well.
“The thing that is most impressive to me is how hard they must have worked. Everybody involved is working incredibly hard,” he stated.
“It’s obvious. To play the music, to write the music, to make it work with the dancing and to [have] the dancing work with the screen and the special effects—a lot of people have been working very hard.”
“It’s very challenging, it’s a lot of work.”
Mr. Balaban is eager to share the experience with his friends and family. “This is a great spectacle,” he said. “They should go see it.”
As Shen Yun wraps up its 2026 touring season, its eight equally sized companies have performed in more than 200 cities across five continents. Audiences can expect the company to return each year with an entirely new program of original choreography and music.
