SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘Everything Was Magnificent’: Illinois Patrons Moved by Shen Yun

Apr 12, 2025

4/12/2025Updated: 4/12/2025

UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill.—Lisa and Fred Miller Hamilton were curious to see “China before communism,” and were very impressed with the China that Shen Yun Performing Arts brought to life.

“It was lovely. I knew it was beautiful, but I didn’t know it would be that beautiful,” said Mrs. Hamilton, a retired compliance director, after seeing Shen Yun at Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University on April 11.

“We wanted to see the traditional Chinese dance and the culture and all of the wonderful things over the thousands of years. And we wanted to enjoy that and understand what China was years ago,” Mr. Hamilton said.

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Through music and dance, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, or “China before communism.”

“The dancing was unbelievable, and the singing. Everything was magnificent. And it’s a shame that it can’t be that way now. It should be that way everywhere. And everybody should be able to enjoy the culture and the beauty and the dancing and the singing,” Mr. Hamilton said, and his wife added, “And the freedom of expression.”

The Hamiltons said they also loved seeing the spirituality of the traditional Chinese culture, rife with reminders of humanity’s connection with the divine.

“I just loved not only the dancing and everything, but the emotional and religious aspect of it, you know, the Creator and the divinity of coming down to earth. And the relationship between man and the divine. I thought that was amazing,” Mr. Hamilton said.

Mrs. Hamilton agreed, adding, “We need more of it.”

“We need more of that. More love and less hatred and more of our relationship with God,” she said, finding the values in Shen Yun beneficial for audiences. “Because we’re here for just a short period of time. It’s a snapshot in time that we’re here on Earth. And then we’re in heaven the rest of the time.”

“We have to be there for each other,” Mr. Hamilton added.

Cathy and Tom Lograsso enjoyed Shen Yun at the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University, at University Park, Illinois, on April 11, 2025. (Stacey Tang/The Epoch Times) — Cathy and Tom Lograsso enjoyed Shen Yun at the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University, at University Park, Illinois, on April 11, 2025. Stacey Tang/The Epoch Times

Small business owners Cathy and Tom Lograsso also found the spirituality of traditional culture, as displayed in Shen Yun, an important message.

“It’s quite incredible,” Mr. Lograsso said. “I feel like it’s good to see a spiritual aspect of life. Like connecting to the soul.”

“To God and the angels,” Mrs. Lograsso added. “They just really integrate, I think a truth that a lot of people have forgotten over the years, but it really is bringing you into a truth about who we are.”

“Other than just the physical, the spiritual,” Mr. Lograsso continued. “You don’t see a lot of that.”

The Lograssos felt Shen Yun was a “truer portrayal” of China than what most people see, and hoped the civilization Shen Yun brought to life could one day return to China.

“It’s very insightful and educational,” Mrs. Lograsso said. “I think it’s unfortunate that it can’t be shown in China. Yes. But it really is wonderful to see such culture spanning over all those years. It’s beautiful.”

Reporting by Stacey Tang 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.