St. Louis, Missouri, the gateway to the West, will host Shen Yun Performing Arts for an all-new production once again at the Stifel Theatre (formerly Peabody Opera House) on March 15 and 16.
The New York-based performing arts company has become popular the world over since its inception in 2006, and St. Louis audiences in past years have joined in the acclaim.
Pilot Rodney Resch appreciated the spiritual element in traditional Chinese culture. “I think it works well. I think it speaks well to the ancient Chinese that they had actually a spiritual connection,” he said.
He said he would encourage others to see Shen Yun. “We’re going to tell them they need to see it. It’s very inspiring, and they need to know a little bit about the history of China, not just what you hear on the media today,” he said.
Abigail Clardy, a ballet dancer at the LaVerne Meier School of Dance, praised Shen Yun’s dancers. “The beauty and the gracefulness through the dancing really conveyed the message,” Ms. Clardy said.
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s traditional culture of 5,000 years before communism. The ancient culture upheld virtues and values like benevolence, integrity, wisdom, and justice. The communist regime has banned Shen Yun from China.
“We think today of China as only being communist, but it’s so diverse, and it has such a wonderful history,” business analyst Colleen Jackson said. “It’s nice to see that [history].”
“I appreciate the stand that’s been taken, and the message of honor, and the message of pureness, and the message of love,” Mr. Larose said.
Frank and Annette Rolfe come every year to watch Shen Yun and always come away with special memories.
“Sometimes in the world right now, we lose track of right and wrong, and shows like this help us understand the innate human nature of right and wrong,” said Mr. Rolfe, a real estate business owner.
“When I leave, I always feel like a sense of profound morality has been instilled within me,” Annette Rolfe said.
Professional artists and musicians are amazed at Shen Yun’s talented performers and how the music and dance work together.
“I’ve never heard Eastern and Western instruments blended together. So that’s really fascinating,” she said.
Dance instructor Deborah Fahnestock said, “It’s just given me so many ideas for our shows and how to bring such beautiful international work into what we do.”
“I just feel very inspired right now. It’s absolutely gorgeous, really a beautiful, beautiful experience,” she said.
This year, as Shen Yun is set to perform in more than 200 cities around the world and across five continents, the 2025 touring season is shaping up to be the artists’ busiest yet and a glorious treat for theatergoers.
