SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Portrayal of ‘Spirituality Is Very Uplifting,’ Says Emmy-Nominated Producer

May 04, 2025

5/4/2025Updated: 5/4/2025

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.— Emmy Award-nominated TV and film producer Chris Owens and executive producer Kiki Korol first discovered Shen Yun Performing Arts on YouTube and were immediately captivated.

On May 3, the couple finally experienced the performance live at the Dolby Theatre—and felt it was a wonderful decision.

“We’ve loved it, so far. It’s beautiful and it’s spiritual and it’s uplifting,” Mr. Owens said. “I loved the way it ties in with the [3D backdrop]— how the stories integrate and the dancers go in and out of the screen.”

According to its website, Shen Yun’s innovative digital technology creates seamless interaction between the backdrop projection and the performers on stage. “By extending the stage to infinite realms,” this patented 3D invention brings to the audience “storytelling without limits.”

The couple, who are deeply spiritual, were especially moved by the performance’s divine elements.

“The spiritual aspect. The spiritual message is very strong and uplifting during the show. It speaks to both of us,” Ms. Korol said.

Mr. Owens chimed in that he didn’t realize stepping into the theater, “the depth of what we were going to see.”

“I’ve been tearful. I didn’t know. I just thought it was dancing in beautiful colors. But the spirituality is very uplifting.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun artists are masters of classical Chinese dance, an ancient and highly expressive art form dating back thousands of years. The company’s mission is to revive, through dance and music, China’s divinely inspired civilization to its pre-communist glory.

Mr. Owens loved the story-based dances that recount legends from ancient times to the modern day.

He particularly enjoyed the piece inspired by the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” where the Moon Goddess descends from the heavens to aid the Tang Monk and his disciples on their quest for sacred scriptures.

“The Moonlight Fairies was very special to me. I really love that one, I found it uplifting. I love when the divine touches humanity,” he expressed.

“This whole show speaks to me that way. I think it’s beautiful. All the spirituality is really speaking to us, very connecting to that.”

He also loved the live orchestra that blends Eastern and Western instruments to give the audience the best of both worlds. The musicians produce a brand-new set of compositions each year to complement the dances.

“The music, you can’t ignore that. These are live musicians playing beautifully, flawlessly, and there’s humor in the instruments they use in some of the characters. It’s uplifting. There’s nothing out of sync, so it’s just perfect. The dancers are exquisite. There’s not a missed beat anywhere. It’s just first-class.”

Reflecting on Shen Yun’s goal to revive traditional Chinese values that were all but destroyed by years of communist rule, Mr. Owens said it’s a great mission.

“I loved it. I don’t know if everybody knows that. I think this is contemporary Chinese, but it’s not. It’s part of an ancient way of being that’s not presently represented in China.”

Ms. Korol is looking forward to bringing her best friends to future shows.

“It’s absolutely glorious. This is a very uplifting, absolutely beautiful, breathtaking,” she said. “I love the dancing. … It’s very, very difficult, and they were in such sync. It’s amazing. They’re beautiful. Just beautiful.”

She loved every one of Shen Yun’s story-based dances because “they each have their own story to tell, and they’re all beautiful.”

“It’s just absolutely sensational. It’s actually more than even I had anticipated. I’ve heard so much, but it’s even more than I thought, more beautiful.”

Reporting by Alice Sun 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.