Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, bringing to life a lost culture through beautiful art.
Each production celebrates Chinese culture before communism. They tell legendary stories and feature innovative technology which aims to “delight your senses,” “inspire your heart,” and “leave you feeling great.”
The company is based in New York but its productions are displayed throughout the United States, and performers are from many places around the world.
Shen Yun is groundbreaking because their productions can not be seen in China; however, they bring over 5,000 years of the country’s culture to participating cities. Many of the performers escaped ongoing persecution in China.
Each year they produce an all-new show, demonstrate a commitment to using innovative theatre technologies, and combines classical Chinese dance with a symphony orchestra.
Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by artists who wanted to display Chinese culture and share it with a global audience. They created Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College to train their artists which includes dancers, choreographers and composers.
The communist government in China remains a challenge for Shen Yun and its productions.
“As we’ve gotten international attention, the Chinese Communist Party hasn’t sat by. In addition to trying to smear our reputation, their embassies and consulates have tried pressuring theaters around the world to cancel our shows, told VIPS not to attend, and tried stopping us in a variety of other ways. At the end of the day, what they do usually just amounts to free advertising” states the Shen Yun website.
Shen Yun’s new show is China Before Communism. Their next performances are in St. Louis live at Stifel theatre-Feb. 18 and 19, 2023. To order tickets or see more show information click here.
