TORONTO, Canada — Shen Yun Performing Arts concluded its 20th anniversary world tour with a triumphant return to Toronto, where five performances from June 25 to 28 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts drew sold-out audiences and standing ovations.
The performances marked a particularly meaningful finale to the season after Shen Yun’s originally scheduled Toronto performances earlier this year were canceled following false bomb threats. Its return to the city, and the overwhelming public response, was widely viewed by supporters as a testament to the company’s resilience and enduring international appeal.
Throughout the four-day run, audience members from across Canadian society, including elected officials, business leaders, artists, academics, human rights advocates, and members of the Chinese community, praised Shen Yun not only for its artistic excellence but also for its celebration of China’s traditional culture and spiritual heritage.
Founded in 2006, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, showcasing the beauty and splendor of traditional Chinese culture and art prior to the ravages of communism. The New York-based company currently boasts eight equally sized troupes that tour and perform across the world simultaneously, putting on a brand new production each year.
A celebration of art and culture
Among the most prominent attendees was author and podcast host Tammy Peterson, wife of Canadian psychologist and commentator Jordan Peterson. Attending Shen Yun for the first time, Peterson said she was deeply moved by both the artistic presentation and the values conveyed throughout the performance.
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She described the production’s revival of China’s 5,000 years of traditional culture as a powerful expression of goodness and spirituality, adding, “I believe China has an opportunity for renewal. If that can happen, it would be something truly wonderful and worth looking forward to.” Peterson also said she believed her husband would greatly enjoy the performance.
Canadian filmmaker, producer, director, and cinematographer Daniel D’Or likewise praised Shen Yun’s artistic achievement, calling the production “the pinnacle of artistic excellence.” Having previously attended the Toronto premiere of the documentary “Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun,” D’Or said finally seeing Shen Yun live exceeded his expectations.
“As someone who has spent many years in the film industry, I know how much work it takes to achieve this level of perfection,” he said. “Every scene is a masterpiece. It’s far more than entertainment—it is artistic inspiration at its highest level.”
Real estate executive Trelawny Howell echoed those sentiments, describing Shen Yun as “irreplaceable.” “There is nothing else in the world that can replace this performance,” she said. “It is extraordinary, courageous, and deeply inspiring.”
Canadian leaders praise SY
Retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and international anti-financial crime expert Garry Clement said Shen Yun’s message resonated far beyond its artistic presentation. “The courage Shen Yun displays on stage, its commitment to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and its exposure of persecution have the power to change the world,” he said. “In a world filled with confusion and deception, the truth Shen Yun presents can awaken people’s conscience.”
International human rights lawyer David Matas also praised the performance for combining artistic beauty with contemporary human rights themes. “It is absolutely worth seeing,” he said. “It brings together extraordinary artistry with a profound concern for human rights.”
The performances also received strong support from Canadian elected officials. Members of Parliament Philip Lawrence and Dan Muys attended the performances and presented Shen Yun artists with official commendations.
Lawrence, attending for the first time, praised the production’s beauty and message. “In a world filled with anger, hatred, and darkness, we need guiding lights like Shen Yun and Falun Dafa,” he said. “They remind us that light ultimately triumphs over darkness.” Muys also commended the performers’ perseverance, saying, “Your courage is an example for all of society.”
Many of Shen Yun’s performers and staff are practitioners of Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline also known as Falun Dafa. Rooted in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the faith was immensely popular in China prior to being banned and subject to severe repression by the CCP starting in 1999. Because of the persecution, Shen Yun is not currently able to perform in mainland China.
Several other Canadian lawmakers, including Judy Sgro, Anna Roberts, Garnett Genuis, James Bezan, and Melissa Lantsman, issued congratulatory messages or official proclamations recognizing Shen Yun’s 20th anniversary and its contributions to preserving traditional Chinese culture and artistic freedom.
Reflecting on heritage and faith
The performances also resonated deeply with many audience members from the Chinese community. Chinese entrepreneur Chen Zhong described Shen Yun as “second to none” in both artistic excellence and cultural influence. “This is the first time I’ve encountered such a unique artistic expression of Chinese culture,” he said. “The performances are refined yet accessible, regardless of language or cultural background. I also believe that people with faith are truly remarkable.”
His wife, Cao Zhifang, the daughter of late Chinese constitutional scholar Cao Siyuan, said the performance awakened a universal longing for the divine. “Everyone has a place for God in their heart,” she said. “Many people simply haven’t realized it. Shen Yun awakens that longing in a beautiful and deeply meaningful way.”
Chinese-language commentator Gongzi Chen, who attended for the third time, praised Shen Yun’s commitment to preserving authentic Chinese civilization despite years of pressure. “Among overseas Chinese organizations, only Shen Yun has truly preserved and carried forward 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture while bringing it into mainstream Western society,” he said.
An inspiring cultural mission
Among those attending the June 28 performance were Chen Jie and Fu Weizhou, members of the Canada Committee of the Democracy Party of China, who said Shen Yun offered a powerful artistic portrayal of traditional Chinese culture.
Chen described the performance as a seamless fusion of classical culture and modern stagecraft. “The perfect combination of traditional Chinese culture and modern technology created a stunning visual feast,” he said. “It was incredibly powerful and deeply moving, while also bringing audiences an extraordinary sense of beauty.”
The pair were among a group of Democracy Party of China members who attended the performance in support of Shen Yun after the company’s originally scheduled Toronto performances earlier this year were canceled following false bomb threats.
Chinese national Liu Chong, who attended the June 28 performance with her son, said Shen Yun presented a vision of China that resonated deeply with her. “Shen Yun truly lives up to its reputation,” she said. “The China portrayed in Shen Yun is the China that should exist.”
She added that she hopes more people in China will one day have the opportunity to experience the performance. “Shen Yun represents China’s future. Every Chinese person should have the chance to see it.”
As the curtain fell on the final Toronto performance, Shen Yun brought its 20th anniversary world tour to a close with what many audience members described as one of its most memorable seasons. Over two decades, the company has performed for millions around the world while seeking to revive China’s traditional culture through classical Chinese dance and music.
