Shen Yun Performing Arts returns to the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto for just two performances, on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, with its new 2025 production.
Performances are currently underway around the globe, with four of New York-based Shen Yun’s now eight companies touring Europe.
Audiences in Modesto last season were greatly moved by Shen Yun.
“I’m not ashamed to say that it brought a tear to my eyes multiple times, especially how bold they were to say that atheism and evolutionism bring nothing but destruction and darkness to the world,” said audience member Jeffrey Davis, who brought his son to a performance. “I loved the divinity of it. I recommend it to everybody in the world, and I’ll be coming back to see another performance.”
Mr. Davis said the performance was “inspirational on a deep level” and ventured to say Shen Yun was an “antidote to the darkness.”
“It was fantastic. I was in tears. The opening was extraordinary,” said actor Dave Storm, who tries to catch Shen Yun’s new production each year. “The energy levels are just unparalleled. They’re unmatched anywhere.”
“It’s an amazing show,” he said emphatically. “I can’t even say it’s one show—there are so many different emotions in each program, and the level is just absolutely incredible.”
“I urge anyone who has never seen anything so spectacular in the United States or anywhere else in the world to see it.”
“I know good art when I see it, and this is beautiful,” said Ms. Wagner.
“I really feel this depicts the spirituality that we see in heaven in the universe, right? And there is something going out there. I do feel we are in a period of good versus evil. It’s a spiritual war, and we know good always wins. And so I just encourage everybody to be on this side of beauty, love, trust, kindness, and love of all of mankind,” said Ms. Wagner.
Audiences this season have already extended high praise to Shen Yun’s new production.
In San Jose, California, Company CEO Carlos Masareje said on Dec. 29 that it was his first performance of Shen Yun, but certainly not his last.
“Wonderful, I think it’s wonderful. Some portions of the show were really mesmerizing. Phenomenal show,” Mr. Masareje said at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose.
Maria Grace Brook, a spiritual director, found refreshing honesty and universal themes in the spirituality of traditional Chinese culture as presented by Shen Yun.
“I think [Shen Yun] says the truth in ways that a lot of people are holding back. [Shen Yun] is saying it in a beautiful way,” said Ms. Brook. “This is very inspirational because surely [Shen Yun] can help save the world and bring us into a place where we are indeed in tune with our spirit.”
Andrew Harvey, who saw the performance with his wife and young daughter, said that for two and a half hours, Shen Yun provided an “opportunity to escape from everything else.”
“I’ve been very moved by it. I really enjoy it,” he said.
Dance instructor Kristina Tiedemann said the grace and excellence of the artists communicating with the audience through dance and movement spoke of the way they were trained within that traditional culture.
It’s so beautiful. The dancers, they have such a high level of respect and quality, and you can tell that they are being respected as dancers by their teachers because you can’t create that environment unless you have somebody guiding them on these higher levels of consciousness,” said Mrs. Tiedemann.
“Which is so beautiful to see because I feel like we don’t have enough of that in the world right now.”
