Shen Yun Performing Arts Is ‘A First-Class Show,’ Says Company Owner

Shen Yun Performing Arts Is ‘A First-Class Show,’ Says Company Owner
Gustavo Valencia and Idalia Zamora enjoyed Shen Yun's evening show at the Buell Theatre on April 9, 2026. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)
DENVER—Construction company owner Gustavo Valencia and his wife, Idalia Zamora, a medical school professor, experienced Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time together on April 9, at the Buell Theatre.

Mr. Valencia was pleasantly surprised by the vivid beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

“It was pretty good. I was not expecting this, it was the first time, and it was amazing—all the colors and all the choreography and everything—it was mesmerizing,” he said. “It was a first-class show. Everything was on point.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company.

Its production comprises a series of short pieces that takes its audience on a ride through the dynasties and across the vast regions of China. Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun tells tales from ancient times to the modern day.

Mr. Valencia especially enjoyed the solo performance on the erhu—an ancient Chinese instrument reminiscent of the human voice. Though it has only two strings, it can express a wide range of emotions.

“That was amazing,” he said. “I felt relaxed; it was hypnotic. Peaceful.”

He also appreciated the short story-based dances that recounted Chinese legends from ancient times to the present day, and the company’s use of 3D digital backdrop, which collaborated seamlessly with the performers on stage to create a magical illusion.

“Everything was spectacular, even the stories that they tell,” he stated, adding that the characters’ emotions, beliefs, and values were all so perfectly conveyed through the dancers’ body language and facial expressions.

“I felt very emotional. Even the time—the performance was over two hours—I didn’t feel it. It felt like I was there for just 15 minutes. Time flies.”

The most memorable message he would take home from Shen Yun is that “we are all God’s creation. We are all brothers and sisters, a part of the same [universe].”

This season, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies are bringing their stunning performances to over 200 cities worldwide. With a brand-new program each year, the company’s 20th anniversary marks another season full of fresh surprises for both first-time and returning audiences alike.
Reporting by Sherry Dong and Jennifer Tseng.

NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts, covering audience reactions since 2006.