BURGOS, Spain—“Even though we had to endure the cold to come to Burgos, we were determined to see it!” said Ricardo Borrajo of Madrid, expressing the couple’s long-held admiration for Shen Yun.
He and his wife, Ana María Aralina, had followed the company for years through media coverage but had never had the opportunity to see it in Madrid. This year, they finally decided to drive over 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) to the provincial city of Burgos, fulfilling a dream they had nurtured for years.
Mr. Borrajo serves as technical director at Extreme Networks, an American technology company. On the evening of March 19, 2026, he and his wife attended Shen Yun’s third local performance of the year at the Fórum Evolución Theatre in Burgos. The couple said the long-awaited show not only perfectly showcased the beauty of traditional Chinese culture but also skillfully wove in contemporary themes, offering them a rich and profound viewing experience.
Ms. Aralina has a deep passion for Chinese culture, having studied the language for nine years. “I love the language, I love the culture, I love everything related to China,” she said. She was captivated by Shen Yun’s performance, particularly the exquisite costumes. She was also impressed by the male dancers’ elegant and powerful leaps and the female dancers’ flowing sleeves, which created stunning visual patterns. “That precision, that unison, is unmatched by any other form of performance. We loved it!”
He was particularly struck by the tenor’s performance, which provided a surprising interlude amid the dances.
“When you think of a tenor, you usually think of Plácido Domingo or Pavarotti, but seeing this Asian gentleman sing with that incredible voice, accompanied by a young woman on the piano in a very Western style, yet still conveying an Eastern message, was truly impressive. It was an adaptation that we found fascinating, and the lyrics were beautiful and captivating,” Mr. Borrajo said.
Mr. Borrajo was clear in his stance on communist persecution. “This situation has persisted since after World War II. I am firmly against communism,” he said. He emphasized that people who have lived under a communist regime have the right to share their experiences. “A nation that has lived under communism for a long time has the right to express its position. This is something that outsiders cannot easily judge. People in a free country like Spain must understand this from those who have lived it, not from a distance.”
He also admired the symbolism woven throughout the performance, particularly the use of red hammer-and-sickle imagery on the costumes of the communist villains. “The way they combined traditional culture with contemporary themes was very interesting,” he said.
Ms. Aralina reflected on the deeper values conveyed by the show. “Tradition and values are the most precious parts; truly beautiful things often come from time-honored traditions,” she said.
Finally, Mr. Borrajo expressed his heartfelt respect for the Shen Yun artists. “Please continue creating these marvels. If the programs change each year, we are willing to travel to Logroño, Burgos, or Seville to see them again,” he said.
