SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘A Return to Innocence’: Award-Winning Interior Designer on Shen Yun

Mar 09, 2025

SYDNEY, Australia—Stepping into the world of Shen Yun Performing Arts feels like a return to an age of innocence, a refreshing escape from the demands of modern society.

That’s the sentiment of Dana Tomic Hughes after watching the premier classical Chinese dance performance on March 5 at Capitol Theatre in Sydney.

An accomplished figure in the world of interior design, Ms. Hughes is the founder of Yellowtrace—a globally esteemed design publication. A TEDx speaker, she was named among the “Top 200 true global influencers of the design world” and was recognised by Vogue Living as one of the most visionary female professionals in the creative arena.

“Yes, I exist in the world of design,” she said, “but to me, what was touching about this (Shen Yun) is the spirit of the performance.”

“It felt like a return to innocence ... almost like a step back in time but in a good way.”

“It kind of felt like stepping into a time that felt a lot simpler, where things weren’t as cluttered as they are today with the messaging of the media and everything that the world carries on its shoulders,” she said.

“It just felt a lot more pure.”

Established in New York in 2006, Shen Yun celebrates 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture that was almost lost with the rise of communism in modern times. Through the universal language of dance and music, Shen Yun brings to audiences the delicate elegance of the Tang court ladies, magical scenes of heavenly realms, and stories of timeless virtues, all woven into the rich tapestry that is Chinese civilisation.

Ms. Hughes said the performance is “very positive in nature and has a really good intent,” and that this “essence of the spirit, the positivity” is something she wants to do in her own work.

“It’s not just coming to see a performance and a dance. There’s a lot more meaning to it,” she said.

Reporting by NTD and Nina Nguyen.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.