Despite facing attacks, the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts company remains resolute in its mission to showcase the beauty of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization. The company, known as the world’s premiere classical Chinese dance group, has denounced recent articles by The New York Times as being “riddled with inaccuracies.”
Shen Yun’s performances, which highlight traditional Chinese culture under the tagline “China before communism,” have drawn the ire of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which sees the group as a threat. Despite CCP’s efforts to undermine the shows through various tactics, Shen Yun continues to push forward.
The recent New York Times article that criticized Shen Yun for allegedly relying on underage performers was refuted by the company. Shen Yun clarified that 85% of its artists are adults, with the remaining positions open to talented young individuals studying at their affiliated schools, Fei Tian College and Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. The company emphasized that students perform as part of an approved curriculum by the New York State Department of Education.
Addressing the allegations of underpayment and labor inquiries, Shen Yun explained that all Fei Tian students receive full scholarships covering expenses, and students are given the opportunity to tour with the company as part of their coursework. The company also emphasized the rigorous standards of classical Chinese dance, stating that it requires precision and athleticism akin to elite sports.
Furthermore, Shen Yun clarified that its schedule is not as grueling as portrayed by The New York Times, with the company emphasizing the value of hard work and personal development rooted in its founders’ Falun Gong faith. The company highlighted that their educational philosophy is based on tradition and the belief in the importance of resilience and hard work.
The statement from Shen Yun also addressed the omission of key information in The New York Times article and highlighted the paper’s history of parroting CCP propaganda against Falun Gong. Despite the attacks, Shen Yun remains committed to their mission of sharing the beauty of Chinese culture with audiences around the world. He also motivated others to follow suit.
“I was the one who introduced people [ex-Shen Yun performers] to the New York Times, especially for the initial interviews. They found additional people through that,” he wrote on X following the publication of the New York Times’s first hit piece on Shen Yun earlier this year.
The FBI labeled the man as “potentially armed and dangerous” after he was seen near the Shen Yun campus in upstate New York last year. He was subsequently apprehended and is now facing charges for illegal possession of firearms.
The New York Times headquarters in New York City on Dec. 7, 2009. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Multiple whistleblowers who shared internal CCP information with the Falun Dafa Information Center (FDIC)—a nonprofit dedicated to monitoring the persecution of Falun Gong—have individually identified the man as a tool used by the CCP to launder and spread “malicious” information against Falun Gong.
The man, who also operates a YouTube channel, has been issuing threats against Shen Yun and Falun Gong, including referring to Shen Yun managers as his “enemies” whom he aims to have imprisoned.
The New York Times reporters also neglected to disclose their interviewees’ other connections to the Chinese regime.
Hong and Rothfeld heavily rely on a small group of former performers without revealing that at least three of them have “ties to the Beijing Dance Academy (BDA),” as per an FDIC report from earlier this year.
BDA is described as “a Chinese state-run organization, which is an instrument in the CCP’s global campaign against Shen Yun,” according to the report.
Shen Yun Culture
Dozens of current and former Shen Yun artists have previously expressed to The Epoch Times that their experience with Shen Yun has been extremely rewarding.
“It was very fulfilling for me to travel the world and perform at all these prestigious theaters as a student,” said Helena Huang, a Shen Yun flutist in a previous Epoch Times interview.
“Working with these world class artists who are employed by Shen Yun, you actually really learn a lot,” she said.
“They’re very humble, but yet they’re also very hard working. You see how far these people got, and you see that you can also reach that if you work hard and persevere.”
Shen Yun Performing Arts presents the beauty of traditional Chinese culture, as it existed before communism. Courtesy of Shen Yun Performing Arts
Shen Yun was established by Chinese immigrants who “came to this country with virtually nothing” and without any government or corporate support, its statement mentioned.
“We are entirely self-reliant. We cherish this country, and are grateful for the liberty it provides, and we want nothing more than to give back, in spades, to the United States and the world, through sharing a high-quality program filled with hope and inspiration,” Shen Yun stated.
“Despite enduring transnational repression from the CCP for nearly 20 years and despite these attacks from the Times, we will remain steadfast in our mission: to showcase the beauty, majesty, and spirituality of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization.”
