The complex world of Shen Yun

In cities around the world, vibrant advertisements for the Chinese traditional dance troupe Shen Yun catch the eye – on billboards, television and even on leaflets posted through front doors.

"Swirling in colourful costumes", Shen Yun dancers are sent out in their hundreds to perform shows in cities ranging from New York and Paris to Toronto and Taipei. But, while Shen Yun's visual spectacle is set once again to captivate audiences on its 2025 tour, there's increasing concern about its culture of "untreated injuries and emotional abuse", said The New York Times.

'Anti-humanity and anti-science'

Founded in 2006, the New York-based Shen Yun company has developed a reputation for elaborate productions, but the "mission" of the organisation is "more than entertainment", said The New York Times. Instead, it seeks to "amplify the anti-communist message" of Falun Gong, the religious movement behind the company.

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Established in 1992 by Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong's vocal opposition to communism led to the movement being outlawed by the Chinese Communist Party in 1999.

Since then, adherents have faced persecution from the Chinese government, which has called Shen Yun an "anti-humanity and anti-science" cult. Shen Yun "openly admits there's a connection" with Falun Gong, and that it hopes its performances "raise awareness about the persecution" of its followers in China, said Religion Unplugged.

But to say that politics and religion is "the sole end of Shen Yun's art" is to deny its "vital human experience of hope and kindness", said Yuefeng Wu on US news site The Hill. Shen Yun's "spiritual interpretation of Chinese culture" continues to have a "compelling global impact" for the hundreds of thousands of spectators who turn out to enjoy the show every year.

'Mistakes doom audiences to hell'

A recent lawsuit by a former Shen Yun dancer suggested it may have copied some of the Chinese government's "most abusive practices", said CNN. These include allegedly "subjecting children to public humiliation as discipline" as well as making them perform for "long hours for little pay".

Shen Yun said the lawsuit was "part of a coordinated offensive against our company being orchestrated by the Chinese regime" and accused the Chinese Communist Party of spreading "false narratives in mainstream media on a large scale".

A further investigation by The New York Times was reported to have uncovered a "controlling atmosphere", created by the ultra-conservative teachings of Falun Gong. Dancers were said to have been told their performance "was part of a holy mission to save humanity – and that any mistakes onstage could doom their audiences to hell".

The Falun Dafa Information Center, a New York-based non-profit organisation that advocates for Falun Gong practitioners, said the paper's portrayals were "unrecognizable not only to current and former Shen Yun performers, but also to doctors, lawyers, and China specialists closely familiar with these communities".

'Chance of a lifetime'

Shen Yun continues to strenuously deny accusations of poor labour practices, and already has 150 tour stops planned for 2025.

In a statement released last month, the group said it believed in "treating our artists with care and respect". Around 85% of performers are adults, it said, with the remaining slots given to "talented young people". All students are on a "full scholarship, which includes room and board, and amounts to about $50,000/year", making it "the chance of a lifetime". Labelling Shen Yun as a "cult" is a "tactic by the Chinese regime to discredit the company", the statement said.

Former dancer Mingye Liu, writing for Newsweek, defended Shen Yun as a "world-class company" that "worked with a sense of mission and pride". If it's true that "performers are so disgruntled" then "why are so many top artists joining and staying with Shen Yun?" he asked.