SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun a Spectacular Celebration of Freedom, Says Tech VP

Jan 11, 2025

BERKELEY—David Newton, a vice president of technology, said he was thoroughly entertained by Shen Yun Performing Arts but, at the same time, realized the performance was so much more than entertainment.

“The show was really spectacular. The choreography is great. The execution of the dancing by the performers was really strong. The integration of the colors is great,” he said after seeing a performance at Zellerbach Hall the afternoon of Jan. 11. “And, of course, I think one thing a show performance like this helps us realize is it’s a little bit more than just entertainment.”

“There’s an underlying message there about freedom and liberty that, quite honestly, I think in America we take pretty much for granted. Right?” he added.

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s leading classical Chinese dance company, with a mission to show the world 5,000 years of Chinese civilization—China before communism.

As such, it’s a performance that cannot be seen in China today under the rule of the Chinese communist regime.

“Clearly, it’s excellent,” Mr. Newton said, lauding the multiple components of the production.

“The synchronization, and consistency of execution, also, look at it, really, the difference in the foot movements, in particular the female dancers, is quite unique to this performance,” he said.

The live music, too, was a “treat,” he added, as it was harder to find performances that still adhere to such a tradition today.

Mr. Newton said there was yet another unique aspect to the production, Shen Yun’s patented animated backdrop, which added another dimension to the performance.

“That’s unique to Shen Yun,” he said. “Really enhances the storytelling ... That really brings in the divinity of the heavens into the performance.”

Reporting by Gary Wang 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.