SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Culture of China ‘Is Being Saved By’ Shen Yun, Says Illinois Patron

Mar 26, 2025

3/26/2025Updated: 3/26/2025

ROCKFORD, Ill.—Walt Peters said, the first time he saw Shen Yun Performing Arts, “it was just superb.”

“I had to come back,” Mr. Peters, a retired aerospace engineer, said after seeing Shen Yun for the second year, at the Coronado Theatre on March 25. “The dancing is excellent. The commentary is superb. Very, very enjoyable. Very good.”

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company. Through music and dance, Shen Yun’s mission is to show audiences the beauty of China before communism.

Mr. Peters said that though communism may have once nearly destroyed the people and culture of China, “the fact that hopefully in time that culture can return, that it’s being saved by the people here in New York[of Shen Yun] ... I hope it is saved.”

“I never would have thought I would enjoy it this much. But just very talented people, very enjoyable presentation,” said Mr. Peters, who quipped that his first experience had him thinking he should take up ballet.

“The work with the blending into the screen is also just excellent. Very, very good use of technology,” he added, referring to Shen Yun’s patented digital backdrop.

Mr. Peters said that from his seat, he can glimpse some of the musicians in the orchestra pit, all of whom he said were excellent and performed superbly as well.

Mr. Peters also enjoyed the traditional Chinese culture brought to life on stage, adding that as a Christian who believes in a divine Creator, heaven, and salvation, he saw similarities to his own beliefs and felt very good about it all.

He said that if he had anything to say to the artists, it would only be words of encouragement to continue to do what they do.

“An excellent job. I’m sure it takes an awful lot of work in order to perform as they do, but the performance is just superb. The talent is superb and the story is superb. Very enjoyable, very good, and they do an excellent job. I hope they keep it up,” he said.

To those who haven’t yet seen Shen Yun, Mr. Peters said he could only recommend it.

“Go see it, go see it, you can’t miss it,” he said. “It is excellent, it just is very enjoyable, very talented people, very excellent performance, don’t miss it. I very much enjoy the performance and appreciate the fact that they come to Rockford as well as the other places that it goes to.”

Reporting by NTD and Catherine Yang.

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