SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Performance Is ‘Thrilling, Enchanting,’ Says Actor

Jan 23, 2026

1/23/2026Updated: 1/23/2026

LOS ANGELES—TV actor Robert Starr attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on Jan. 22, at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The matinee marked the company’s first of five performances in the venue.

It was Mr. Starr’s first experience with classical Chinese dance, and he said it felt as though he had “walked into a new world.”

“The show is excellent. It’s very interesting to see it. It’s quite exquisite. The costume, the scenery, the exquisite dancers—highly impressive. Very moving,” he said.

“I would recommend anyone to ‘open your mind to a whole new world.’ You'll gain enormously from it.”

Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Presenting a brand-new set of programs each year, the company has been delighting audiences around the world since 2006.

Before the communist party’s spread of atheism, Chinese people were very spiritual and had a deep belief in the divine. For thousands of years, their values and day-to-day actions were strictly governed by the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

In the decades since the communist regime seized power, Chinese culture was forced to the brink of extinction. These New York-based artists are now seeking to revive China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture and showcase to the world the beauty of China before communism.

Although Mr. Starr was not very familiar with traditional Chinese culture, he found Shen Yun’s story-based dances easy to follow and deeplymoving.

“There were many things that were so touching,” he said. “The singing was a very, very great piece. The love scenes where [the characters] were seeking love, that’s good. It’s hard to categorize just one. I find every piece unique and interesting in its own right.”

“It’s a thrilling, enchanting event that I would recommend for anyone.”

Mr. Starr also appreciated the artists’ inclusion of traditional moral values and life lessons, noting that “it’s very important to remember that there’s great beauty in life and there’s great form and elegance in life.”

Shen Yun “reminds you that as human beings, we can aim way, way higher and try to elevate ourselves to be more civilized, decent, honorable, kind, and respectful to each other,” he shared.

“This type of performance—with the movements, the beautiful artistry, the costume, the scenery—inspires that in each individual. I think it elevates humanity, which is the goal of art, and it does this exquisitely well.”

“I think the whole show inspired me [to] aim higher in your life, try to be even a better, finer person, treat people with the utmost respect, and conduct yourself in a way that makes the world a better place.”

If given the opportunity to meet the artists, Mr. Starr would tell them: “You guys are obviously highly trained performers, you do your work beautifully. Your artistry is noted, and you should be very proud of what you’ve done with your life.”

Reporting by Michael Ren 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.