SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

I Can’t Recommend Shen Yun Performing Arts Enough, Says Former Dancer

Mar 13, 2024

CHEYENNE, Wyo.—On March 12, Karla Miller, an author and former Middle Eastern dancer, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the second time at the Cheyenne Civic Center. This time, she brought along her husband, David, an engineer and hardware architect.

Mrs. Miller said she decided to return for Shen Yun’s 2024 season “because it’s amazing.” And it was just as good as she remembered it to be.

Though she doesn’t dance anymore, Mrs. Miller said she could feel the connection between Shen Yun dancers and their audience.

“You feel like you are part of the motion—that’s real talent. The dancers are exquisite, they really convey the joy of dance. You can tell they worked so hard and yet they make it look easy. The flow, the arms—it’s just perfection,” she expressed.

“Everyone moves as a unit and there is no one trying to hog the stage. You can tell that they really put dance above their ego, that really came through. It’s what makes it so beautiful. It’s just pure dance, I love it.”

Mr. Miller, on the other hand, was surprised by the size of Shen Yun’s production.

“It’s unusual to see completely live performances. Live dancers, live musicians—all of it. I think it’s stunning, really. It’s an exercise in visual storytelling. They move so well, even the acrobatics were perfectly synchronized,” he expressed.

“It’s amazing they’re able to move from historical events and legends to modern times. It’s very interesting how they tell the stories. You can’t miss it, can’t miss it. I’ve never seen anyone that can tell a story like Shen Yun.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded by a group of leading Chinese artists who had to flee persecution by China’s ruling communist party. In the decades since the regime’s violent takeover, Chinese traditional culture has been forced to the brink of destruction.

Now, in the safety of America, these New York-based artists are determined to bring China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture back to life to share with everyone “China before communism.”

‘It Really Connects’

Mrs. Miller really enjoyed the opening piece depicting the Creator leading divine beings onto the earth to give humanity the gift of culture and tradition.

“It’s kind of a universal story, and I liked that. It’s very obvious that it’s an expression of faith. It’s a universal message and I think it really connects. It’s all impressive,” she said.

“I liked the playfulness of [Shen Yun.] A lot of the storytelling was excellent, you could really tell what was happening in the interaction. The [long] sleeves dance—it was like flowing water. It’s just wonderful and beautifully done. I can’t recommend this show enough.”

According to the company’s website, the dancers’ silk sleeves were a part of ancient Chinese feminine attire representing humility and grace.

Mr. Miller, who plays the French Horn, loved Shen Yun’s musicians and live music.

“I have a real appreciation for music. I know that the pit orchestra doesn’t get a call out but I enjoy the music and listening to them perform. I’ve tried to do that myself before, it’s very difficult.”

Referring to Shen Yun’s mission to revive traditional Chinese culture and stand up for freedom of faith even in the face of persecution from the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Miller said, “It takes a lot of courage to bring this message to the world.”

“The arm of the Chinese government is long. So, to go around the world bringing this message out is a very important thing. It takes some courage from the people; the performers and choreographers. Kudos to you.”

Reporting by NTD, Lily Yu, and Jennifer Tseng.

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