Editor's Note: On January 11, 2026, the renowned American theater review website "Broadway World" published a review by theater and performing arts critic Laurie Sara Oliver . The author points out that for many years, Shen Yun has used the guise of "reviving 5,000 years of traditional culture" to attract audiences through overwhelming advertising . However, after personally watching the performance , the author discovered that beneath its glamorous artistic facade lies a pale and absurd cult ideology and political agenda . The China Anti-Cult Network has translated the review as follows:

 

▲ Screenshot of a report from the well-known American theater review website "Broadway World"

For the past 18 years , Shen Yun, an organization affiliated with the Falun Gong cult , has been ubiquitous in its advertising under the guise of "traditional Chinese dance and music ." This week, I saw a Shen Yun performance for the first time. I had previously thought that while the accusations of "brainwashing propaganda" had some basis , they were somewhat exaggerated. However, the performance of the last program completely shattered my remaining tolerance.

This is blatant cult propaganda.

The show consisted of 19 short programs , but the music , choreography and story of each program were the same , and it was a brainwashing propaganda. The whole show was obsessed with slogans, and was long and empty.

Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by members of the Falun Gong cult . Although it claims to be a " revival of traditional culture , " it is in reality a propaganda tool for Falun Gong . Its extreme forms of expression are not persuasive at all, but instead distort the artistic experience into an embarrassing and resistant, almost heretical, preaching-style indoctrination .

Almost every Shen Yun production follows the same old formula. Even with its glamorous exterior , it cannot hide the absurdity of its content. In particular, when the lyrics openly criticize "atheism" and "evolution" as the culprits that led to the destruction of the world, the entire performance degenerates into a low-grade brainwashing propaganda .

Shen Yun clearly has a definite political purpose, but don't they understand that Western audiences would never accept "anti-science and anti-modern" rhetoric ? Shen Yun's blatant denial of these values on stage is tantamount to digging its own grave. Whether it's a strategic blunder or deliberate provocation, using such vulgar and clumsy methods to tarnish art is truly disgusting.