(Minghui.org) During Shen Yun’s world tour in April 2025, theatergoers from different backgrounds have expressed their appreciation for the artistry and inspiring values presented in the performances. A number of elected officials that have enjoyed the performances have honored the company with official recognition.

In-person Recognitions at Lincoln Center

Shen Yun New York Company at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York on the afternoon of April 2, one of the company’s 18 sold-out shows

Ya Ming Liu (left), a representative of New York State Senator Steve Chan, honored Shen Yun with a proclamation at Lincoln Center on the evening of April 4. (NTD Television)

Ms. Liu said after seeing the performance, “I really like that they put some of the Asian stories in all the dances, so that people can learn about Chinese stories. Of course, the dances are incredible.”

New York State Representative Alec Brook-Krasny (left) presented a citation to Shen Yun at the Lincoln Center on the afternoon of April 5. (The Epoch Times)

Certificate of Appreciation from State Assembly District Leader Martha Flores-Vazquez, which she presented to Shen Yun artists at Lincoln Center on April 5. (The Epoch Times)

“It Was a Great Message”

Denis McCarthy (NTD Television)

Denis McCarthy, chairman of the New York St. Patrick’s Parade, saw Shen Yun in New York on April 5.

“I thought the message was very good—to preserve your culture. It reminded me a little bit of our constitution, that you’re endowed with certain rights, and my faith as well. And you have to protect those rights, protect your faith, and share them with others. So it was a great message,” said Mr. McCarthy.

Leaders in Washington State: “People Have to Come and See This”

Shen Yun International Company at a packed house at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington, on the afternoon of April 6

Maribel Williams (NTD Television)

Maribel Williams, the Republican Party vice chair of Snohomish County, saw Shen Yun in Seattle on April 6.

“It is incredibly eye-opening. I found out more about the Chinese before the communist party arrived, and how rich that culture is. So, to me, Shen Yun is an appreciation of the true Chinese culture,” said Ms. Williams.

“The music—absolutely amazing. And, actually, what I found so enchanting about the music was that it almost brought me to a meditative state. It was relaxing and beautiful at the same time.

“I would encourage families to bring their children to see Shen Yun to learn, to see what perhaps they’re not learning in our school systems, to learn to appreciate China before the CCP, the communist party, arrived. So, to me, complete appreciation,” she said.

Arnoldo and Amber Cantu (NTD Television)

Actress Amber Cantu, a sixth-generation granddaughter of Chief Seattle, and her husband Arnoldo, a construction worker, saw Shen Yun in Seattle on April 5.

“It’s very theatrical, very beautiful,” Arnoldo said.

“It reached down deep into emotion—we could feel the emotion and the expression through the dance and song in such a way that we were brought into that moment with them,” Amber said. “I know that doesn’t happen in ballet, so this was a beautiful experience.”

Regarding the artists’ mission to revive traditional Chinese culture and values,she said, “That mission is very important, because I believe we can all learn from Chinese culture and its beauty.”

“People have to come and see this. I’m going to say this is a must-see experience,” she said.

Canadian Leaders Appreciate Shen Yun: “You Feel the Love”

Shen Yun New Era Company at a full house at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Canada, on April 6

Kevin Vuong (left) presented a letter of commendation to Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 1. (The Epoch Times)

Kevin Vuong, member of the Canadian Parliament, presented a letter of commendation to Shen Yun in Toronto on April 1. This was the second time he had seen Shen Yun.

“I think the first thing I want to say is, as a proud Canadian of Chinese heritage, I’m very honored to not only be back to see it for a second time, but to thank Shen Yun and the entire production for helping me to reconnect with the roots of my own heritage,” Mr. Vuong said.

“I think there are a lot of questions that people always ask: ‘What if China were a democracy?’ And those are things that we don’t have to really imagine on our own today. That’s something that we’re able to see on stage, see the celebration of 5,000 years of history and culture.

“I’m a proud father of a five-and-a-half-month-old little girl now, and that’s something that I was reflecting on as I sat and watched the performances. How do I help my daughter to learn those same values that we all hold so dear and also reconnect with the fact that she herself is half Chinese.

“I think one of the things that I continue to see is the importance of honoring our family, our culture, and our community, to be a good neighbor, to help one another. I’ve seen that on stage in the performances and some of the virtues that they’ve tried to signal and demonstrate and that’s something that I will continue to try to live and aspire to myself each and every day.

“I think the fact that we’re watching it here today in Toronto, a place where so many people like myself of Chinese heritage call the city home, and we can reconnect with our roots, is very special. And it’s something that I look forward to now for a second time and again next year.

“I think we’ve seen many different communities, unfortunately, have been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party and so today is also an important reminder of the courage and perseverance of these communities who continue to stand up to the authoritarian regime and why we need to stand with them as well,” he said.

Andrea Hazell presented a certificate of recognition to Shen Yun at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 6. (The Epoch Times)

Andrea Hazell, a member of the provincial parliament for Scarborough-Guildwood, presented a certificate of recognition to Shen Yun in Toronto on April 6 and saw the performance.

“I was blown away. This time, you know, the passion, the energy, the culture. You feel that peace and you feel the love. And especially in today’s world right now, we need that peace and that harmony and that love. But the passion, the dancers, the movement, the energy—it’s breathtaking. You’ve got to be here to see it. We cannot put this experience in words,” she said.

Ms. Hazell added, “I love it. And I’m going to be here next year.”

Prior to Shen Yun’s performances in Vancouver in April, the company received recognitions from British Columbia elected officials: (left to right, top row) Members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Anna Kindy, Reann Gasper, and Bryan Tepper; (left to right, bottom row) Mayor of Port Coquitlam Brad West, Mayor of New Westminster Patrick Johnstone, Mayor of White Rock Megan Knight, and Mayor of Kelowna Tom Dyas. (Minghui.org)

Shen Yun International Company at a full house at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on the afternoon of April 12

Bryan Tepper presented a congratulatory letter to Shen Yun and the organizers at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 13. (The Epoch Times)

Bryan Tepper, a member of the British Columbia Provincial Parliament, saw Shen Yun with his wife and three children in Vancouver on April 13. He presented a congratulatory letter to Shen Yun and the organizers.

“It’s fantastic. I can’t imagine the amount of preparation and lead-up that goes into this to redo it every year. The music, the choreography, it’s pretty amazing. My favorite part is the story-based performance portions. The dancing is wonderful, but you get the intrigue from the classical stories. That’s what I enjoy the most,” Mr. Tepper said.

“I Would Highly Recommend This to Anybody”

Steve Erickson and Joanne Dewey (The Epoch Times)

Hall of Fame broadcaster Steve Erickson and his wife Joanne Dewey, who is retired from the banking industry, saw Shen Yun in Vancouver on April 9.

“I was very impressed. I’d never been to something like this before,” Mr. Erickson said. “I guess you could say, well, given all the problems in today’s world, this was nice, relaxing, this was good. Takes us away from all the problems.”

Mr. Erickson said the modern changes in China brought about by its communist regime were sad ones, but what Shen Yun was reviving was a good experience and reminder.

“I know it’s a changing world, but I like this. This is good. It takes you back to a sort of yesteryear when you think about what the world was like in a better time. This was great. The performers were unreal,” he said.

“One thing I was really impressed with were the number of young kids here today. They were really enjoying it. But there were all ages.”

He said he thought Shen Yun could have a “huge, huge, huge” impact on society.“I think it’s made a big impact on society in general,” he said.

“I would say the message I got was to get you back to real civilization and what yesteryear was like. The world knows all about it because we can’t forget the past. We can’t forget the generations before us.

“This gets you back to the real world, to when life was normal and sane. It’s good for cultures. It’s good for society, and it’s great for the generations to come.

“I would highly recommend this to anybody,” he said. “I would come back.”

“Oh, I thought it was fabulous,” Ms. Dewey said. “It was just a wonderful, wonderful show. The colors, the expression, the dance, and all the meaning. It shows both the happy parts and the not-so-happy parts, and how the world is changing in so many ways.”

For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.