PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — As Shen Yun Performing Arts continues its 2025 global tour, audience members couldn’t get enough of the show’s dazzling depictions of classical Chinese dance and music. Here’s what theatergoers at the prestigious Benedum Center in Pittsburgh had to say after witnessing the show’s gravity-defying acrobatics, live orchestra, and stunning choreography.
Founded in 2006 and based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. The company aims to revive 5,000 years of traditional culture and values through immersive performances that showcase China’s heritage prior to the ravages of communism.
The company currently has eight equally-sized troupes that tour and perform across the globe simultaneously, debuting a brand new production every year.
‘Graceful and intricate’
“I’ve seen the billboards for years and my brother bought me tickets for my birthday,” said Kelly, a dental hygienist, who attended the show with her brother Jacob on April 27. When asked if she had any favorite dance pieces, she said, “I loved the ‘Journey to the West’ piece about the Monkey King.”
Jacob, a new graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, told reporters that the show was “incredible.” “I’ve learned about cultures from all over the world except for China,” said Jacob, who works in medical research. “So coming into this I was kind of blind, but I’ve definitely picked up more of a sense of what Chinese culture means and represents. It met all my expectations.”
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When asked if anything stood out to him in particular, Jacob said, “I really liked the male Tibetan act — it was very intricate and the movements were very graceful.”
He added, “It was a very good show; each dance was very intricate and detail-oriented and very nice. I would absolutely recommend it to my friends and family.”
‘So superior’
The Winters family attended Shen Yun’s show in Pittsburgh on April 27 and told reporters that the performance was “so high quality and superior.”
“I really enjoyed how well synchronized it was among the orchestra and dancers. It was so expressive and high quality,” said Samuel Winters, a high school student. “Once you see Shen Yun, you can’t see anything else because it’s so superior. It’s like tasting food that was really good and how you can’t go back to fast food that everyone eats afterwards; you just can’t beat it. That’s how it felt seeing this because it was so high quality.”
“[The show is] rich with culture and history,” said Jamie Winters, who works in the medical field on the service side. “The spiritual mindset was new to me in relation to Christianity and what’s missing from modern day and the upright spirit.”
He added, “[It taught me to] focus on the heavenly instead of the earthly things. And having the courage to persevere in the face of persecution.”
Shen Yun’s performances also educate audiences on important social and political issues taking place in China today. The performances aim to raise awareness on human rights’ issues to provide a unique perspective on the human spirit and the importance of not taking certain freedoms for granted.
“I really enjoyed how they would do these cool splits and seeing them in a dancing form,” said Peter Andrew, the family’s youngest. “I really liked the stories too, I thought they were funny and interesting.”
When asked about what stood out to him the most, he said, “We really enjoyed the show because it was a mixture of three different things with the live orchestra, theatrics, and dancing. It was all mixed together and it was really good. Very bright and colorful.”
‘Amazing’
Shen Yun’s shows are also complemented by a live orchestra that combines both classical Chinese and Western instruments to take audiences on a soul-stirring journey through time and space.
“I liked the show a lot, especially the music, the colors, and choreography. It was amazing,” said Alejandro (Alex) Torres, a civil and mechanical engineer. “The most impressive part to me was the use of the [digital] screen with the dancers and how they were coming in and out of it.”
Shen Yun’s use of a high-tech integrative, digital backdrop brings scenes from different dynasties, celestial realms, and ethnic regions to life by integrating storylines with his cutting-edge technology. Each performance is also guided by two emcees who explain each segment in both English and Chinese — making the performances more accessible to a wider audience.
When asked about what stood out to him the most, Flores said, “In Mexico we have a lot of colors too, but this type of traditional Chinese dancing was really unique and special to see.” Flores, who hails from Mexico, attended the show alongside his family on April 26.
‘A beautiful production’
Amanda Foster, a customer service representative, attended the show with her mother on April 27 after driving an hour from Latrobe to see Shen Yun. “My mother brought me to see the show,” said Foster, adding, “This is my first time ever seeing it and learning about it has been very interesting. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I feel like with every beautiful piece of art that is alive in front of you, you can take away something gorgeous from it.”
When asked if she had any favorites, she said, “There were a handful of pieces that were just incredible; the water lilies were my favorite piece — the colors and the way the flowers looked like they were dancing on water.”
She added, “I really enjoyed it — it was a beautiful production and the colors were just gorgeous. The one dance with the feathers was so beautiful too and everyone can walk away with something from this show.”
When asked if she would recommend the show to her family and friends, Foster enthusiastically said, “Absolutely, absolutely; just come and see it. Enjoy it by immersing yourself in a new culture and experience something different. You’ll walk away a better person.”
“We are sucked in and we have to come back and see it again next year,” added Foster.
For more information, including tickets, seating, and availability, please visit the official website here.
With reporting by John Dong.
