SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun ‘Just Took Your Breath Away’: City Councilmember

Mar 15, 2025

3/15/2025Updated: 3/15/2025

ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Judy Fitzgerald, Escondido City Councilmember, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on March 13, opening night at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, and thought the artists were “out of this world.”

“I am just so impressed. Thank you for what you do. It was such a gift ... to understand the culture so much better and the beauty and the history in the dance. I just hope it goes on for years, and I'll be back to see it again,” said Ms. Fitzgerald, who, after the performance, presented the artists with a proclamation on behalf of the city of Escondido, congratulating the artists on their mission.

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

“It was a fantastic show—it was so vibrant, rich in culture, and also just a story that it told through dance and expression it was fascinating. I’m so glad that I came,” Ms. Fitzgerald said.

Ms. Fitzgerald added that the elements of the production came together such that “it was entertaining, but just very beautiful, and just took your breath away.”

“It was effortless, light, and just so synchronized in the colors, and even the way the materials flow,“ she said. ”The way they use the backdrop, the timing, that the position—it just really tied it all in so I think that extra touch just really made it, just took it over the top. It was very fascinating.”

Several musical elements added even more to the performance, Ms. Fitzgerald shared. The Shen Yun Orchestra’s combination of ancient Chinese music with a classical orchestra was authentic and beautiful, and the bel canto soloists had the audience giving a standing ovation, she said.

“I really loved how it was really true to the culture, ... bringing the East and West together, but yet you can see just the culture shine through, and so it was beautiful. Very moving,” she said.

The soprano bel canto virtuoso was “very breathtaking.”

“I think people are all up on their feet, I don’t know if you saw that, but it was beautiful, spectacular,” Ms. Fitzgerald added.

Ms. Fitzgerald felt that Shen Yun overall conveyed a “unifying” message.

“I think the show tonight was not only beautiful and, you know, it took my breath away, but the way the stories we’re told and how it’s passed down generation to generation through dance and music is really important,” she said.

“I’m grateful that the tradition is still living in this music and in the theater and, again, for the future generations of those of the Chinese,” she said. “I really hope that it continues for further generations.”

“It was just a story of hope, perseverance, and all done just beautifully and even with whatever persecution one may go through how they can still come out of it being peaceful, and as one of the parts [dance story] show, that it really enlightened somebody who turned away from hate and decided to be loved and peace,” she said.

Shen Yun artists practice Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline that was introduced to the public in China in the 1990s.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, teaches the three principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance.

Since 1999, practitioners of Falun Gong have been subjected to violent persecution by the Chinese communist regime, which is officially atheist.

Ms. Fitzgerald saw in Shen Yun’s performance something that stood “for peace” and freedom of expression.

“And it really is just a story of how even in today’s time there’s still a persecution in countries, and that we need to be made aware of and not take for granted what we have, and help those that come into this country and stay safe to where they can also have their faith,” she added.

Reporting by NTD 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.