HOUSTON—Galveston County Judge Wayne Mallia attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on Jan. 30 at the CFISD Visual and Performing Arts Center. He said that he enjoyed every element of the performance.
Mr. Mallia was especially impressed by the colorful costumes inspired by the attire of ancient China and the live orchestra that accompanied the dances.
“They’re amazing. They’re really amazing,” he said during intermission. “[The music] was very, very catchy and touching. It goes through all the emotions.”
“It’s upbeat, and then when they have the persecution part, you can almost feel the tension and the fear of the persecution and the horror.”
Using classical Western orchestration as the foundation, Shen Yun’s original compositions highlight traditional Chinese instruments such as the two-stringed erhu and the pipa—an ancient Chinese lute. Bringing to its audience the best of both worlds.
He loved that, in addition to presenting legends from ancient times, Shen Yun uses dance to raise awareness of the ongoing human rights issues in China.
“They did it very tastefully and they bring it to life, the real horrors going on in China,” Mr. Mallia said, adding that Americans “most definitely” should learn about what’s happening in China, “because there’s nothing to prevent it from coming to America except for our freedoms.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the Chinese Communist Party.
As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China’s 5,000 years of history are filled with breathtaking legends and rich traditions. Yet, within just a few decades of the Chinese communists’ rise to power, this magnificent culture was almost completely destroyed.
Today, the artists are working to revive this lost civilization and bring back to the world through dance and music, the beauty of China before communism.
“[The dancers are] very talented,” Mr. Mallia said. “It’s great to watch them, it’s amazing what they can do with their bodies. It must be a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication.”
More than anything, he said he loved that Shen Yun is bringing back traditional culture and spirituality.
In 2026, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies are performing in over 200 cities worldwide. With a brand-new program each year, the company’s 20th anniversary marks another season full of fresh surprises for both first-time and returning audiences alike.
