SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Australian Business Owner Moved by Shen Yun’s Peaceful Performance

Mar 16, 2025

Zoe Slater (L) and Niki Masarik (R) enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Gold Coast’s Home Of The Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, Australia, on March 15, 2025. NTD

By Epoch Newsroom

3/16/2025Updated: 3/16/2025

GOLD COAST, Australia—Zoe Slater, owner of Freedom Choice Academy, said she was moved by Shen Yun’s revival of authentic Chinese culture.

“We’ve lost the essence of what China really is,” Ms. Slater said after watching Shen Yun’s matinee performance at Home Of The Arts (HOTA) theatre on the Gold Coast on March 15.

“And how it’s gone to communism. But really, at the bottom level, the culture is beautiful—it’s about being peaceful, it’s about being kind.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s 5,000-year-old culture, which was almost lost under communism.

The New York-based company achieves this mission by presenting live on stage a variety of dance pieces that showcase China’s authentic culture, from ancient myths and legends to modern-day events.

Being of Greek origin herself, Ms. Slater said she understands the significance of preserving culture.

“From our culture, being Greek, we look after our family. And, I think that that’s a good thing about cultures as well, is that we understand that it’s generations, and without the generations, we lose the essence of who we are.”

Ms. Slater said that she did not expect to learn about another side of China.

“I learned more about the softness of the Chinese culture. I think that sometimes, there’s a lot of hardness about it, and a lot of rules and a lot of restraint,” she said.

“I just think that there’s more beauty for us to admire.”

She learned that the Chinese believe that “music heals as well” and can be beneficial to one’s mental well-being.

“It’s very moving. It’s very stirring. It kind of really brings you to be present of mind and present within the body,” she said of Shen Yun’s live orchestra and soloists, particularly the two-stringed Chinese violin, known as the erhu,

“[The music is] good for health. I think anything that brings us to be present, anything that brings our mind back to our internal beingness, is very important.”

Revival of a Culture, Nearly Lost

Angela Mora enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Gold Coast’s Home Of The Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, Australia, on March 15, 2025. (Rebecca Zhu/The Epoch Times) — Angela Mora enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Gold Coast’s Home Of The Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, Australia, on March 15, 2025. Rebecca Zhu/The Epoch Times

Also in the audience on March 15 was Angela Mora, an IT manager, who said she saw the importance of holding onto tradition after watching Shen Yun.

“I think it’s important to hold on to your roots and to understand where you really come from and your belief system,” Ms. Mora said. “And I think it’s a beautiful part of Chinese culture that should be showcased so that people can appreciate it and love it more.”

Ms. Mora added that respect, tradition, and wholesomeness were some values she saw through Shen Yun’s story-based dances and that such values hold educational value for children.

“I think today’s society is really disconnected, right? And then bringing back to tradition allows people to be more connected to each other, to their communities, and to their culture. I think that’s important.”

Meanwhile, Jon Avila, a government lawyer, said he appreciated the messages shown through the performance and encouraged people to have an open mind when watching Shen Yun.

Jon Avila watches Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Gold Coast’s Home Of The Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, Australia, on March 15, 2025. (Julia Ye/The Epoch Times) — Jon Avila watches Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Gold Coast’s Home Of The Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, Australia, on March 15, 2025. Julia Ye/The Epoch Times

“I think that there needs to be more tolerance everywhere in the world,” Mr. Avila said of Shen Yun’s efforts in reviving traditional Chinese culture. “And I think that should be the message that is spread out everywhere.”

Reporting by NTD, Beatrice Lee, Henry Jom, Julia Ye, and Rebecca Zhu.

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