RIGA, Latvia—Valentīna and Vitālijs Sidaravičus are members of Latvijas Sporta Deju Federacija, giving them the highest qualification as dance judges. They saw Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee performance at the Dailes Theatre on Jan. 3, 2026.
“These are not just dancers; they are super dancers, top-class,” said Mr. Sidaravičus.
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
“The show is fantastic! We haven’t seen anything like this for a very long time. Amazing dancers—just amazing! Those twelve women who manage to change costumes within just a couple of minutes. And the men—well, that’s something completely unpredictable,” Mr. Sidaravičus commented.
Shen Yun’s website states that Classical Chinese dance training includes three main components—technical skill, form, and bearing, which is one of the many ways that Classical Chinese dance is different from ballet.
“This is not acrobatics, as many people say. It’s far from acrobatics. It’s probably closer to qigong. Every movement comes from within. Every jump is first fully worked through in terms of volume and inner content. And it really touched me,” Ms. Sidaravičus said.
Audience members often comment that Shen Yun’s dancers exhibit great skill in gymnastics or acrobatics, but Shen Yun’s website tells us that the techniques seen in the performance actually originate from classical Chinese dance.
“Every movement must be born inside, lived through by the body, and only then transferred to the arms and legs, and only after that into movement in space,” observed Ms.Sidaravičus.
Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The versatility of the technology allows the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye, giving the stage endless possibilities.
“It was an amazing moment when they jumped from the screen onto the stage. That was … that was very surprising and unexpected,” Ms. Sidaravičus said.
Reporting by NTD and Maria Han.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
