SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Performers’ Efforts Are ‘Admirable’ and ‘Outstanding,’ Says Retired News Anchor

Jan 29, 2025

1/29/2025Updated: 1/29/2025

HOUSTON—On Jan. 28, retired Fox News anchor Mike Barajas attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts with his wife, Sylvia. This was his first experience with Shen Yun and he had high praise for the company.

“First of all, it’s a wonderful experience because you get to see something that you’ve never seen before in a different part of the world that you have no idea,” he expressed.

“The other thing is, it’s part of history and it spans thousands of years and traditions and cultures. So, it’s very important to learn and to understand and appreciate.”

The New York-based Shen Yun was founded by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the communist party.

For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.

The mission of the artists is to return to the world’s stage—the glory of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

Mr. Barajas was very impressed by the beauty of China’s history and the performers’ mission to bring back traditional values and culture.

“The culture is fascinating … It’s tremendously incredible to think about the widespread history of that country, especially in comparison to a very young country like the United States, which has a relatively short history. So, it’s amazing to think about those comparisons,” he said.

The artists’ effort “is admirable and I think it’s outstanding that they can take that culture and share it and let other people learn from it. Not just here in this country, but wherever they take the show to different parts of the world.”

Mrs. Barajas added that she thought everything about the show was wonderful, and she “like[d] it very much.”

Although Shen Yun has been beloved by audiences worldwide since its inception in 2006, it is currently banned by the ruling communist regime from performing in China due to its commitment to raising awareness about ongoing human rights issues in the country.

This year, Shen Yun’s eight equally sized companies are slated to visit over 200 cities across five continents.

Though Mr. Barajas is not familiar with Chinese history, he still really enjoyed the artists’ story-based dances that told beautiful tales from the past to present-day China. He thought each one was “fascinating.”

“They take you from thousands of years back and then bring you to the present. So, it’s good. [It] helps you understand Chinese arts, culture, and beauty,” he said, adding that the talent of the performers really stood out for him, and he’s grateful “they’re able to bring alive the culture of their country in such a beautiful way.”

“It’s important for us to learn from each other and to appreciate the differences and the beauties that each country can bring to the world. I think it fosters greater understanding between people, which is something that’s always needed to make the world a better place.”

Reporting by 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.