SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Is ‘Soothing to the Soul,’ Says Canadian Physician

Apr 10, 2025

4/10/2025Updated: 4/10/2025

MONTREAL—Both art lovers, Dr. Yoel Moyal and his girlfriend, dental hygienist Salome Halevy, decided to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts’ opening performance at Place des Arts on April 9, after seeing an advertisement.

Dr. Moyal said the show was “very well done.”

“The idea of this beautiful society and community with different cultures—ethical and cultural—appeals to me because we get to experience different cultures and different ethnic dances,” he said.

“You see the difference in colors, the difference in the tone of the dance, and all that mixed with this multimedia—it’s very, very impressive. It’s a very nice mix of the old and the new, the modern and the classic.”

Dr. Moyal especially loved the vibrant colors.

“The whole movement and the energy that is created is what I think people think is therapeutic,” he stated. “I think that energy and those colors in this beautiful coordination and dancing and choreography is soothing to the soul.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company dedicated to reviving China’s rich culture nearly lost under decades of communist rule. Its performances feature a series of short dances highlighting various regions of China, as well as solo musical pieces.

Ms. Halevy, too, said the performance was “spectacular” and “very amazing.” She was pleasantly surprised by Shen Yun’s use of 3D digital backdrops, which seamlessly collaborated with the performers on stage to enhance the storytelling. This innovative technology is so cutting-edge that it is patented.

“We were surprised ... when we started, we were like, ‘Ok, that’s very different from a ballet.’ I found actually really sad they don’t show in China and that they’re not allowed, from what I understood,” she said.

Though Shen Yun is beloved by audiences worldwide, it is currently banned from performing in China by the ruling regime. This is due to the artists’ commitment to reviving China’s divine-inspired culture and raising awareness about ongoing human rights issues.

The couple was deeply moved by the voice of Shen Yun’s soprano and loved the spiritual values she conveyed through the lyrics.

“I had chills,” Ms. Halevy said.

“Very powerful. It’s on another level,” Mr. Moyal chimed in. “It’s a universal idea that we come here to make ourselves better, increase our spirituality by doing good deeds, and then we get back to our place in the sky where we came from initially.”

Mr. Moyal enjoyed this spiritual element and was very intrigued by the artists’ portrayal of “the spiritual philosophy of how we came to be a culture here on earth.”

“They show the gods, how the human came to be on Earth, how they evolved, and all the gifts that we get from the gods,” he said.

“It’s a different interpretation from Judaism or Christianity, but it’s very similar. ... So, it’s very interesting. It’s a very nice and beautiful kind of interpretation of humans coming to Earth.”

This season, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies are bringing their stunning performances to over 200 cities worldwide. With a brand-new program each year, the company’s 19th anniversary marks another season full of fresh surprises for both first-time and returning audiences alike.

Reporting by Wei Ya 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.