SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Storyline Is Beautiful and ‘Really Lovely,’ Says Canadian Business Owner

Apr 10, 2025

4/10/2025Updated: 4/11/2025

VANCOUVER—On April 10, business owner Jane Barton-Greig attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for the first time. She was inspired by her Chinese friend to explore and learn more about Chinese culture.

“It’s wonderful. It’s colorful, it’s musical, it’s happy, it’s sad, it has emotion, it has drama,” she exclaimed.

“Come and see it, it’s wonderful. You'll learn a lot—the current and the history.”

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. Barton-Greig was especially moved by a story-based program portraying the spiritual journey of a war-weary military general. Forgoing worldly comforts, he chooses a path of cultivation and becomes a monk. Through trials and tribulations, he ultimately attains enlightenment and ascends to the heavens.

“It’s beautiful. I love the scene when the man becomes enlightened and … he flies away. It’s just beautiful, really lovely. Wonderful portrayal,” she expressed.

“It’s telling us there’s more than just the world here. There is a spiritual world, and we just have to look for it and feel for it. It’s there. All cultures have a sense of spirituality. So, look for it, don’t hide it.”

Excited to learn more about traditional Chinese culture, Ms. Barton-Greig traveled a long way to attend Shen Yun in Vancouver. It was well worth the effort. She will be bringing home with her a deeper “understanding of Chinese history and the depth of culture that is there.”

The artists’ mission to revive traditional culture and raise awareness about the persecution of innocent people under communist rule is very important, because “Canadians need to understand when you don’t have good government, [how] things can become.”

Shen Yun is currently banned by the Chinese Communist Party from performing in China.

Looking at “China, you can see the problems now. That happened over time, and it can happen anywhere, in any country. … I think people need to see what’s going on, ask questions, and not be afraid to speak up,” Ms. Barton-Greig said.

Shen Yun “can be a warning for what can happen when people are apathetic… It is so important to be aware, and to speak out when things aren’t right.”

She urges Shen Yun’s dancers to “keep dancing, keep smiling.” “We’re so grateful that you’re doing this. Take your story around the world,” she shared.

Reporting by Lily Yu 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.