SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Is ‘Really High Energy and Really Fast-Paced,' Says Company VP

Jan 01, 2025

HOUSTON—Samuel DeCosmo, a vice-president in engineering, attended Shen Yun’s New Year’s Day performance at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts. This was his second time experiencing the world-renowned show and he enjoyed it just as much as he had the first time.

Mr. DeCosmo loved how the performers translated Chinese culture into dance and blended it with “a great sense of humor.” He’s very “happy to be here.”

For millennia, the Chinese people led a deeply spiritual life, viewing their culture as a sacred gift from the heavens. However, under the violent rule of the communist regime and its systematic spread of atheism, China’s rich 5,000-year-old heritage was destroyed.

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts has made it its mission to restore these ancient traditions and raise awareness for the ongoing human rights issue still prevalent in China today.

Through classical Chinese dance and music, the artists are bringing to life the beauty of pre-communist China and sharing its rich history with audiences worldwide.

Mr. DeCosmo loved this aspect of the performance and especially enjoyed the finale piece.

“It was really high energy and really fast-paced. It’s something I’ve been aware of, but it’s very enlightening,” he said.

“They do a really good job of painting a picture of what happens culturally. Very compassionate.”

The story-based dance transported the audience to present-day China, delivering a message that if people are willing to uphold traditional moral values and treat each other with kindness, the divine will aid us in times of trouble.

For Mr. DeCosmo, Shen Yun “sheds light [on] a lot of the beautiful things about [Chinese] culture and their spirit but also [brings to light] some of the negative things that they’ve had to overcome.”

“I like the show a lot,” he said. The performers “are very talented people. They obviously work very hard on it because they’re all so in sync, and [it] feels like they’re so connected. They’re doing a great job.”

Paul Cluff and his family attended Shen Yun for the second time at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts on Jan. 1, 2025. (Sonia Wu/The Epoch Times) — Paul Cluff and his family attended Shen Yun for the second time at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts on Jan. 1, 2025. Sonia Wu/The Epoch Times

Also ringing in the New Year with Shen Yun was auditor Paul Cluff and his family. They thought the show was beautiful, and the performers delivered a wonderful message.

“It was wonderful; the talent is amazing. I just love learning about the culture and the history,” Mr. Cluff said.

Referring to the company’s innovative 3D backdrop technology, he remarked that “the artwork is very amazing.” However, what moved him most was the artists’ spiritual message.

“[The show] talked about the second coming—that’s what it felt like, the last [dance] piece with the Creator returning,” he said.

“Even from the beginning, [the performance] talked about people [originating] from heaven and now the Creator’s coming to take us back. A great message.”

Maura, a college student, appreciated the cultural depth of the performance and enjoyed learning about China’s millennia worth of divinely inspired traditions.

“Shen Yun is a beautiful representation of a different culture,” Maura said. I loved “being able to see how other people viewed divinity and their world.”

This was the family’s second time seeing Shen Yun, and Mr. Cluff would absolutely recommend the show to others.

“You need to see it,” he said. “American people should be aware of every culture. I believe the world would be a better place if everyone understood a different culture.”

Reporting by Yeawen Hung, Sonia Wu, 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.