SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Florida Audience Praises Shen Yun’s Cultural Revival

Jan 23, 2025

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts on Jan. 22 was a personal experience for Jo Jones, a former ballet dancer.

“It’s been a pleasure reliving all of that. It is close to my heart because I am from China,” said Ms. Jones.

Based in New York, Shen Yun is dedicated to reviving 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its dancers are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most expressive dance forms in the world.

“They did express a lot through the movement. Some of the acting that the dancers did was shown well. I think technical-wise, it was very lovely,” said Ms. Jones.

Shen Yun puts on a new production every year, and Ms. Jones, who’s seen a few seasons of the performance, is happy that every time she comes, Shen Yun is different.

“I love how they change it every year, and you get different perspectives,” she said.

Ms. Jones is now a lifeguard, and with her at Shen Yun was another lifeguard, Jesse McDonald.

“I am loving the show. I’m loving the colors. I’m loving the dancing. I’m loving the history, the heritage. I’m enjoying the choreography, just everything about it. This is my first time ever coming,” said Mr. McDonald.

He said he was happy to learn about Chinese culture through the performance.

“It’s just an amazing experience for me to learn about her culture and everything that goes along with her heritage. It’s inspiring my mind, my heart, my soul. It’s just an amazing feeling,” he said.

Shen Yun is dedicated to presenting China before communism to audiences worldwide. Meanwhile, its truthful depiction of modern-day China also means it cannot perform in China.

“I think they need to get rid of communism in China. I think they need to bring back some of this heritage and this culture. [They should] not get so far away from their past, because the past is what makes us strong for the future,” said Mr. McDonald.

Although China has a history of 5,000 years, the time of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) takes only 100 years of that history. Yet in those hundred years, the CCP has systematically destroyed and distorted five millennia of Chinese civilization.

“[The CCP] stepped away from that and blocked a lot of that stuff out, and I think it’s hurting and holding back their people. I think they need to open those doors for all their people—not just for us here in America to enjoy, but for their own people and their own country to enjoy as well. I think that would be very good for them,” said Mr. McDonald.

Shen Yun also uses patented digital backdrop technology, allowing the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye and giving the stage endless possibilities.

“The technology, how they can walk up those steps and then jump down and then go up into the screen. The timing, all of it, is just amazing,” said Mr. McDonald.

Reporting by Xinxin Teng and Maria Han.

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