An unmatched theatrical experience

Shen Yun. For Chinese, the words evoke a sense of wonder, magic, and the divine. To audiences who have seen it, they recall the experience of a lifetime—a moment so powerfully beautiful it touches the soul. Discover the grandeur of a fantastically rich culture, that of classical China, brought to life through brilliantly choreographed dance and mesmerizing, all-original orchestral compositions. Magnificently costumed dancers—the world’s elite—move in poetic arrangements that evoke pastoral beauty, imperial drama, and the glory of an ancient civilization. This season, discover what art was meant to be. Discover Shen Yun.

More than an art— a way of being.

SHEN YUN PERFORMERS are selected from among the top classical artists in the world. Every year, they come from all corners of the globe to an idyllic campus in upstate New York. This is where their mastery of their craft takes shape into a new production. And this is where a most magical revival of true Chinese culture begins…

The people of China have long held that their magnificent culture was a gift from the heavens. Art was primarily a means to explore the connection between humankind and the higher universe. Artists cultivated virtue because they felt that to create art worthy of the divine, there must first be inner beauty and purity.

Shen Yun follows in these ancient traditions.

Shen Yun artists believe that just mastering the surface of the art is not enough, as it is the heart of the artist that the audience feels. So they take the wisdom and values of traditional Chinese culture as part of their lives. These inspire them to nurture goodness in themselves on their path to artistic perfection. That is the culture of Shen Yun.

A show like Shen Yun can no longer be found in China today because many of China’s best artistic traditions have been lost in recent decades.

Nothing short of a miracle.

Shen Yun—it’s a grand production. Every year we start fresh. Every detail matters. Our goal? Not just another show. We take our craft beyond the boundaries of performing arts as you know it.

A Shen Yun show is a fusion of classical arts with modern appeal. As one audience member put it, “It’s like a fashion show, opera, concert, and dance performance all rolled into one.” Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. Our passion motivates us to bring all these elements together into one extraordinary experience.

Classical Chinese dance lies at the heart of our performances. The dancers—with what some have called “limitless bodies”—turn an intensely difficult art form into something beautiful and effortless. China’s 5,000 years of civilization provide an endless source of inspiration. The choreographers work closely with the composers to recreate ancient stories and legends, or convey an aspect of the culture, through short pieces that last no more than a few minutes. Our graphic artists, meanwhile, use advanced digital technology to produce stunning animated backdrops that correspond precisely to each dance.

After seeing the show, one audience member marveled, “This production… is nothing short of a miracle.”

A vast dance system tempered over thousands of years.

CLASSICAL CHINESE DANCE is one way in which 5,000 years of Chinese culture has been passed down and retained. It is a dance form built on profound traditional aesthetics. In its early days, it was conveyed primarily among the people, in the imperial courts, and through ancient plays. Over thousands of years, this art was continually organized and refined, with it eventually developing into the vast, systematic, and distinctly Chinese dance form that we know today.

Classical Chinese dance has its own set of training methods in basic skills and has strict training in both physical expression and specific postures. It also involves learning combinations of leaps, turns, flips, spins, and other aerial and tumbling techniques. It is an extensive and independent system of dance.

Within Classical Chinese dance lie China’s deep cultural traditions, allowing its movements to be richly expressive, such that the personalities and feelings of characters can be portrayed with unparalleled clarity. It is therefore capable of depicting scenes from any time period, whether ancient or modern, Eastern or Western, in a strikingly vivid way.

Two great classical music traditions—one glorious sound.

From the moment the gong is struck to herald the beginning of the show, you know you are in for something musically memorable. The Shen Yun Orchestra masterfully blends two of the world’s greatest classical music traditions, Chinese and Western. Ancient Chinese instruments such as the soul-stirring erhu and the delicate pipa lead the melody on top of a full orchestra of Western strings, percussion, woodwinds, and brass. The Western orchestra with its energy and grandeur, and the Chinese instruments with their distinct tones and styles, create a dramatic new sound.

Vocal Soloists

The resounding voices of bel canto soloists are an integral part of the Shen Yun experience. Each program is heightened by several moving selections from our singers. Their impassioned songs give voice to hopes that have shaped Chinese culture for centuries.

A global sensation.

In just a few short years, Shen Yun has expanded from a single dance company to multiple dance companies with full orchestras that tour the globe simultaneously. They have now graced some of the most celebrated stages in the world.

In 2011, Shen Yun enchanted royals in London, performed for packed houses across Asia, and received standing ovations at Lincoln Center in New York. Now, in 2015 season, Shen Yun will embark on yet another world tour with its all-new show.

This season you can see Shen Yun at the following venues:

LINCOLN CENTER, NEW YORK
THE KENNEDY CENTER, WASHINGTON DC
WAR MEMORIAL OPERA HOUSE, SAN FRANCISCO
PALAIS DES CONGRèS, PARIS
NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE, OTTAWA

See full schedule at: www.shenyunperformingarts.org