How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history
NEW YORK, Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a historic global tour.
This season, Shen Yun:
"This milestone reflects the dedication of hundreds of artists," said Shen Yun Vice President and Conductor Ying Chen. "Our remarkable performers haven't just put on a world class show—they're carrying forward a cultural heritage and a set of values that they cherish deeply. They are among the best in the world, and their commitment is the reason we can celebrate twenty years today."
"This anniversary also demonstrates that the elite artistry and hopeful message of our performances, which reconnects people with wholesome traditions, resonate deeply with audiences around the world," Ms. Chen added. "With no government or corporate backing, our remarkable growth is fueled by the fact that, each year, more and more people are flocking to theaters to experience Shen Yun."
Established in New York's Hudson Valley in 2006, Shen Yun is marking two decades of extraordinary artistic achievement. Show after show, the company continues its mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, breathing life into a civilization that had been brought to the brink of extinction by communism.
WATCH: an exclusive look inside Shen Yun's headquarters.
From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, many of whom escaped persecution in China, Shen Yun quickly professionalized and grew from one to eight equally large touring troupes.
Along with its hallmark classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is home to the world's first orchestra to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members. In what critics called an innovation in the world of performing arts, Shen Yun also patented interactive animated backdrops that extend the stage and instantly transport the audience to another world.
Shen Yun has become a must-see show, and the fastest-growing performing arts company in American history.
"Shen Yun lets the world see a China that the communist regime tried to destroy," said Principal Dancer Piotr Huang. "We began with a simple aspiration: to speak out about persecution and to share a culture that was nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun has become a cultural phenomenon that touches people from every walk of life."
"As a dancer, Shen Yun has given me and my colleagues an environment to reach the peaks of our artistic potential," said Huang. "If we were in China, we would face imprisonment. Here we have the opportunity to thrive."
It hasn't been easy. The organization's founders and performers were people who practiced Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based spiritual meditation discipline brutally persecuted in China. They were driven by a sense of urgency—innocent people just like them being killed every day. As Western media largely turned a blind eye to the atrocities, these artists were willing to go the extra mile.
They decided that not only would they celebrate the glory of ancient Chinese civilization, but also, as part of each performance, portray present reality in China and the courage of people of faith there.
Because of this daring portrayal, Shen Yun has incurred the wrath of the Chinese communist state. Through its embassies and consulates, networks of spies and secret agents, economic threats, and propaganda disinformation, the regime came after Shen Yun in full force. The performing arts company has endured slashed tires, break ins, and death threats—all on American soil. Meanwhile, performers' family members in China have been harassed and even imprisoned.
But through it all, Shen Yun has thrived, driven by faith and a sense of purpose. Now, after 20 years, Shen Yun is the world's gold standard for classical Chinese dance, and has fully earned a reputation for artistic ingenuity, integrity, and resilience.
Fun fact: The 20th anniversary is traditionally called "the China anniversary."
About Shen Yun Performing Arts
Shen Yun is a nonprofit organization established in New York by elite Chinese artists, many of whom fled persecution. With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun has become the world's foremost classical Chinese dance and music company, performing all-new programs globally every year.
The 2026 production includes breathtaking new dances, never-before-seen stories, original scores, hundreds of dazzling costumes, and Shen Yun's patented animated backdrops. Learn more at: ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
SOURCE Shen Yun Performing Arts
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