About the Performance
Shen Yun presents colorful and exhilarating performances of classical Chinese dance and music. A performance by Shen Yun is a presentation of traditional Chinese culture as it once was: a study in grace, wisdom, and the virtues distilled from the five millennia of Chinese civilization.
Every year, Shen Yun unveils an entirely new lineup of dances, songs, and musical scores. At the core of Shen Yun’s performances is classical Chinese dance with China's numerous ethnic and folk dance styles rounding out the evening.
In a collection of short pieces, audiences travel from the Himalayas to tropical lake-filled regions; from the legends of the culture’s creation over 5,000 years ago through to the story of Falun Dafa in China today; from the highest heavens down to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.
Tenors, sopranos and other award-winning vocalists perform piano-accompanied solos, along with a regular favorite—the stirring melodies of the two-stringed erhu, also known as the Chinese violin.
Shen Yun’s one-of-a-kind orchestra, with its all-original compositions, blends East and West like no other. The distinctly Chinese sound of ancient instruments like the erhu and the pipa are bathed in a rich sea of Western strings, percussion, woodwinds, and brass. The result—two great classical music traditions producing one fresh, unexpected sound.
Animated backdrops transport the audience to another world. Projected behind the dancers, the hi-tech images lift the stage and set it amidst blossoming landscapes, deep forests, Mongolian prairies, or celestial paradises.
One of the features that strikes audience members most is Shen Yun's colorful costumes. These hundreds of gorgeous, hand-made garments span China’s dynasties, regions, and ethnic groups. “I wish I could wear that!” is a common reaction. Even leading fashion designers leave the show excited with new inspiration.
We invite you to:
“A perfect show”
- Ron Clarke, Lord Mayor of Gold Coast, Australia
“The best show”
- Annette Lu, former Vice President, Republic of China
“Sophisticated entertainment”
- Larry O’Brien, Mayor of the City of Ottawa
“Radiates a powerful harmony”
- Xu Tiancai, Mayor of Tainan, Taiwan
“You can hardly wait”
- Jimmy Johnson, Mayor of Seminole, Florida
“An uplifting experience”
- Joyce Brooks, Editor-in-Chief, Black Tie Magazine
“A remarkable achievement”
- Ted Kavanau, Founding Senior Producer of CNN
“A great masterpiece”
- Barbara Zapf-Dorn, Ballet Master, Zapf-Dorn Ballet School
“So open and giving - inspiring!”
- Nilas Martins, Principal dancer, New York City Ballet
“Choreography is phenomenal”
- Valentina Alexess, former ballerina, Moscow Ballet
“A strong, gracious gesture”
- Donn B. Murphy, Ph.D., President, The National Theatre
“Something pure and bright”
- Anna Liceica, Soloist, American Ballet Theatre
“A wonderfully positive karma”
- Philadelphia Weekly
“Boldly ambitious and enormously popular”
- San Francisco Chronicle
“Lovely traditional Chinese music”
- DC Theatre Scene
“Vigorous physicality”
- Denver Post
“Dazzling costumes”
- BroadwayWorld.com
“Strikingly intricate melodies”
- NYTheatre.com
“Extraordinary cultural show”
- Dr. Cyril Dabydeen, professor and distinguished writer, Ottawa Canada
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