SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—Jamian Rockhill, an athletic director, and his wife Joleen, an artist, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show for the first time at the Proctors on April 23. It was New York-based Shen Yun’s second and final show in the city as part of its 2025 global tour.
Mr. Rockhill loved “the colors and all the bright themes and [stories about] faith,” he said. “The narrative was very easy to follow—even the dances themselves tell the story.”
Ms. Rockhill, too, enjoyed the evening. She thought the whole production was “fantastic.”
“I appreciate the music, the artistry, the design, the choreography. It’s culture [that’s] brought to the capital region we don’t normally see.”
As an artist, she thought every aspect of Shen Yun was “absolutely beautiful,” and particularly enjoyed the animated backdrop. “The hues, the vibrancy, the color combinations; it’s very inspiring,” she shared.
Reflecting on the artists’ mission to bring back traditional values and the spirituality of pre-communist China, Mrs. Rockhill said Shen Yun’s message is “right on point of where we need to be.”
“I appreciate it very much. You don’t see this. People aren’t brave enough to touch on spirituality. So I appreciate it.”
As the 2025 touring season winds down, Shen Yun’s eight equally sized companies have performed in over 200 cities across five continents. Since its establishment in 2006, the company has been met with wide acclaim and is expected to return each year with an entirely new set of choreography and musical compositions.
