1. Shen Yun’s 20th Anniversary –A Journey of Tribulations and Triumphs
2. When Persecution Hits Home
3. 20 Years of Defying Beijing’s Attempts to Destroy Our Company
4. Attempted Bribery of U.S. Agency Foiled as Shen Yun Seeks to Dismiss Baseless Lawsuits
5. About Our Campus, Professional Artists, and Student Performers
6. What Do Local Government Leaders Say About Us?
7. Letter From the President of Fei Tian College, Where Shen Yun Artists Are Trained
8. Dr. Damon Noto, MD: How I Care for Shen Yun Performers
9. The New York Times Inaccurate Coverage of Shen Yun — What You Need to Know
10. Videos and Interviews About Shen Yun
Shen Yun’s 20th Anniversary. A Journey of Tribulations and Triumphs!
This season, Shen Yun celebrates its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of unwavering dedication and artistic triumph, often in the face of tremendous odds.
In 2006, we were a small group of first-generation Chinese immigrants—some fleeing religious persecution—who came together in New York’s Hudson Valley with a shared dream: to revive the timeless arts and authentic traditions that were being eradicated in our homeland. Working entirely as volunteers through long hours of learning and perseverance, by year’s end, we crafted our first performance—Shen Yun.
Shen Yun was founded by practitioners of Falun Gong, a Buddhist spiritual practice brutally suppressed by the Chinese regime. Its roots extend back millennia and represent a direct lineage to China’s authentic culture and spiritual traditions. Falun Gong includes meditation, gentle exercises, and moral teachings that inspire people to live one’s life with honesty, compassion, and resilience.
For 25 years, the Chinese regime has demonized our faith and imprisoned, tortured, and killed our loved ones in China. The regime also brought the persecution to the shores of U.S. deploying every tactic in its arsenal to sabotage our company.
This past year witnessed a sharp escalation: over a hundred death threats directed at our artists, baseless lawsuits filed by foreign nationals in U.S. courts, orchestrated disinformation in the media, and even attempts to provoke U.S. government investigations. Each thread traces back to influences from Beijing.
Why is Beijing so afraid of Shen Yun? Shen Yun’s performances resurrect China’s 5,000-year-old culture, a spiritual legacy the Chinese regime has ruthlessly tried to erase for decades. Shen Yun dance stories also expose the regime’s brutal religious persecutions. Furthermore, the unparalleled artistry and heartfelt sincerity of our performers dismantle Beijing’s 25-year smear campaign to vilify Falun Gong.
When Persecution Hits Home
Nearly 100 of Shen Yun’s artists—or their families—are victims of the Chinese regime’s ruthless suppression of their faith. Here are a few of their stories...
“When I was a child, the police came to our home and took my father away for practicing Falun Gong. I remember standing by the window watching them drive away. Two weeks later, my father died in a labor camp.”
Ellie Rao, principal dancer
“I grew up in China in a family that practiced Falun Gong. My father was jailed twice for his belief—once in 1999 and again in 2017. It was a difficult and frightening environment to grow up in, where even sharing things with friends at school could put your family at risk.”
Carol Huang, principal dancer
“My father died as a result of torture in custody. My mother has spent over a decade in prison or forced labor camps and remains imprisoned to this day. I urge the international community to help release my mother along with the many other Falun Gong practitioners still facing persecution in China.”
Steven Wang, dance instructor and former principal dancer
“They savagely beat up my brother, tied his legs together, his arms behind his back, and taped up his mouth. They then folded him over and stuffed him under a low bed and stomped on it. He felt like his back was broken and was in so much pain he couldn’t breathe. He was nearly tortured to death.”
Ying Chen, conductor
“When I was seven years old, my mother went out and didn’t come back. After waiting for hours, my father and I went to look for her. Police stopped us and said my mom had been arrested for practicing Falun Gong. To protest the unjust detention, my mom went on a hunger strike for over 20 days and was eventually released.”
Tiange Cao, student pipa player
20 Years of Defying Beijing’s Attempts to Destroy Our Company
When our performers dance on stage depicting persecution in China, it is not merely an artistic performance. For many of us, the persecution is a daily reality.
Nearly 100 of our current artists—or their families—have been victim of the Chinese regime’s ruthless suppression of their faith. Some have suffered soul-shattering torture in detention centers, while others endure the anguish of parents still imprisoned, and tragically, some family members were killed. Though they fled China in search of freedom, one peril they could not anticipate awaited them.
The persecution pursued us all the way to America. As Shen Yun flourished, we faced intrusions by Chinese spies at our headquarters, burglaries at our homes, life-threatening sabotage of our buses, relentless cyberattacks on our websites, and illicit pressures from Chinese embassies urging governments and theaters to cancel our performances. Smear campaigns proliferated across American media and social media. And now we know—this was all by design.
Over 250 incidents across more than 40 countries of the Chinese regime (or its proxies) targeting Shen Yun have been documented.
Over the past year, Beijing’s campaign to destroy Shen Yun has escalated dramatically. According to renowned China insiders and leaked documents, in 2022, CCP leader Xi Jinping issued directives to employ “lawfare and disinformation in the U.S.,” with the explicit aim of “turning American society against Shen Yun” and prompting “investigations by U.S. agencies.” The challenges confronting our company today—over a hundred of death threats against our artists, groundless lawsuits filed mostly by foreign nationals in U.S. courts, disinformation in the media, and provocations to instigate U.S. government probes—match Beijing’s insidious designs with chilling precision.
Shen Yun artists holding photos of their family members who were persecuted or even killed by the Chinese Communist Party for their faith. There are almost 100 artists in Shen Yun right now with such painful stories.
Attempted Bribery of U.S. Agency Foiled as Shen Yun Seeks to Dismiss Baseless Lawsuits
John Chen, a Chinese spy who confessed to collecting intelligence for lawsuits against Shen Yun, meets with CCP leader Xi Jinping. Chen was later arrested by the FBI when he tried to bribe the IRS to open an investigation into Shen Yun.
Shen Yun has endured a barrage of frivolous lawsuits for the past several years, most of which were initiated by individuals with direct connections to China or the Chinese regime. In every instance, New York judges have dismissed these claims decisively, with the most recent dismissed “with prejudice.” At the same time, a Chinese spy, who confessed to gathering information for these suits, was arrested by the FBI and convicted for attempting to bribe the IRS into launching an investigation against Shen Yun. Sadly, these legal actions impose a heavy toll on on our company, siphoning precious resources and spawning bad press that seeks to sow disdain for Shen Yun in the American public.
In a new set of lawsuits, the plaintiffs are a few former Shen Yun performers. As in prior complaints, the individuals who filed these new lawsuits have documented ties to China. They filed their suits only after departing the U.S. and forging ties with the Chinese governmentlinked Beijing Dance Academy.
We are resolutely seeking dismissal of these new, baseless actions. Yet, their true harm often stems from the distorted narratives they create that are then propagated through media channels.
Shen Yun attorney Justin Butterfield remarked: “The plaintiffs’ allegations do not raise any violations of federal law. They are casting aspersions upon entirely legal, and in fact common, activity for institutions with elite training programs and religious communities.”
More than 1,500 current and former Shen Yun artists, and immediate family members well versed in our company’s ethos and daily rhythms, have signed a petition to counter the accusations propagated through these lawsuits and echoed in some media. Their petition implores the Department of Justice to investigate these calculated assaults, saying, “We are horrified to see the gross distortions and false narratives about our work, our faith, and our way of life echoing through mainstream media.”
About Our Campus, Professional Artists, and Student Performers
Nestled in the rolling hills of Orange County, New York, Dragon Springs is a 400-acre campus that combines the natural beauty of New York state with ancient Chinese architecture, performing arts, academic learning, and spiritual practice. The campus hosts four distinct entities: (1) Buddhist temple grounds featuring authentic Tang Dynasty-style architecture, (2) Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and (3) Fei Tian College—the schools where many Shen Yun artists are trained—and (4) the headquaters and training center for Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The core of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ roster consists of seasoned professionals, and among them are some of the best in the world. Our primary artform, classical Chinese dance, is one of the most demanding artforms in the world. To perform at elite levels, it takes an elite level of preparation, dedication, and athleticism—similar to Olympic-level gymnastics training. In fact, like elite gymnastics, classical Chinese dance is a young persons’ endeavor. Most dancers peak in their late teens and early twenties.
Students attending the Fei Tian schools study on a campus that shares its grounds with Shen Yun’s training center. The most qualified students have the opportunity to perform with Shen Yun as part of a New York State-approved practicum program. Fei Tian Academy of the Arts offers a standard academic curriculum, while Fei Tian College is accredited by the same institution that accredits Harvard, Yale, and other prestigious universities around the U.S. Both schools are elite artistic institutions with a religious foundation.
What Do Local Government Leaders Say About Us?
Over the years, local and national government leaders have visited Dragon Springs, and come to appreciate and even work closely with the performers, staff, and volunteers at the campus. Here are a few recent highlights from speeches and interviews:
“I’ve had the privilege of visiting many times, spending time with a whole host of community members... It is such a special, special place, not only physically beautiful, but morally and spiritually such a rich and beautiful, beautiful place. I want to reiterate my commitment that Shen Yun should and must be able to perform in every corner of the United States and around the world, and we’ll continue to fight to make sure that that happens.”
—Pat Ryan, Congressman (D-NY) represents Dragon Springs’ district; also served two combat tours in Iraq, earning two Bronze Stars.
“I’ve known a lot of the [Shen Yun] performers... I’m so proud that they call Orange County their home.”
—Steve Neuhaus, County Executive of Orange County, NY, where Dragon Springs is situated, and Officer in the Navy Reserve
“Many of those who live in our city work or volunteer time at Dragon Springs, where they endeavor to preserve traditional Chinese culture, provide a top-notch education for young people, and serve as a training ground for the world’s leading classical Chinese dancers and musicians. I applaud the efforts of the Falun Gong community and am proud to have them in our wonderful city.”
—Joe DeStefano, Mayor of Middletown, NY, located just down the road from Shen Yun’s training center
Letter From the President of Fei Tian College
Letter From the President of Fei Tian College
Letter From the President of Fei Tian College, Where Shen Yun Artists Are Trained
As the President of Fei Tian College, I have the honor of working with some of the world’s most talented young artists every day. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. At Fei Tian we strive to foster lives of purpose in our students while also preparing them for the demands of professional careers in the arts. We balance this with an unwavering commitment to student well-being. It’s something close to heart for me as a Professor and mentor to students—as well as a former dancer myself.
Vina Lee President Fei Tian College
As the President of Fei Tian College, I have the honor of working with some of the world’s most talented young artists every day. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. At Fei Tian we strive to foster lives of purpose in our students while also preparing them for the demands of professional careers in the arts. We balance this with an unwavering commitment to student well-being. It’s something close to heart for me as a Professor and mentor to students—as well as a former dancer myself.
As the President of Fei Tian College, I have the honor of working with some of the world’s most talented young artists every day. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. At Fei Tian we strive to foster lives of purpose in our students while also preparing them for the demands of professional careers in the arts. We balance this with an unwavering commitment to student well-being. It’s something close to heart for me as a Professor and mentor to students—as well as a former dancer myself.
Our school isn’t just a performing arts conservatory, but also groundbreaking and innovative. While many are familiar with the world-class organization known as Shen Yun, which many of our students have the opportunity to perform with, lesser known is our institution: Fei Tian College.
Our school isn’t just a performing arts conservatory, but also groundbreaking and innovative. While many are familiar with the world-class organization known as Shen Yun, which many of our students have the opportunity to perform with, lesser known is our institution: Fei Tian College.
Let me take a moment to tell you about what makes the College so special, and help provide a fuller picture of what we do.
Our school isn’t just a performing arts conservatory, but also groundbreaking and innovative. While many are familiar with the world-class organization known as Shen Yun, which many of our students have the opportunity to perform with, lesser known is our institution: Fei Tian College.
I’d like to take a moment to tell you about what makes the College so special, and help provide a fuller picture of what we do.
Let me take a moment to tell you about what makes the College so special, and help provide a fuller picture of what we do.
1. We’re accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
1. We are accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
2. We’re the first college in the U.S. to offer degrees in classical Chinese dance; we offer a BA and MFA in dance, as well as in classical music and stage production.
1. We’re accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
3. Fei Tian is also a religiously affiliated college, founded by practitioners of Falun Gong. We’re a mission-driven school, with a strong component of character education.
2. We’re the first college in the U.S. to offer degrees in classical Chinese dance; we offer a BA and MFA in dance, as well as in classical music and stage production.
2. We’re the first college in the U.S. to offer a BFA and MFA in classical Chinese dance; we also offer performing arts degrees in music and stage production.
4. Admissions are need-blind, and all students receive full scholarships. Every student graduates debt-free.
3. Fei Tian is also a religiously affiliated college, founded by practitioners of Falun Gong. We’re a mission-driven school, with a strong component of character education.
5. e innovative curriculum is bilingual and bicultural (Chinese-English), and prepares students for the demands of careers as performing artists.
3. Fei Tian is also a religiously affiliated college, founded by practitioners of Falun Gong. We’re a mission-driven school, with a strong emphasis on personal development.
4. Admissions are need-blind, and all students receive full scholarships. Every student graduates debt-free.
6. Students have once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunities through the college’s unique practicum program, administered in collaboration with Shen Yun Performing Arts.
5. e innovative curriculum is bilingual and bicultural (Chinese-English), and prepares students for the demands of careers as performing artists.
4. Admissions are need-blind, and all students receive full scholarships Every student graduates debt-free.
7. is is made possible by the school’s flipped calendar, which is similar to those in Australasia—with summer and fall classes, and a winter vacation or flexible term.
6. Students have once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunities through the college’s unique practicum program, administered in collaboration with Shen Yun Performing Arts.
5. The innovative curriculum is bilingual and bicultural (Chinese-English), and prepares students for the demands of careers as performing artists.
8. e college has exceptional facilities, which accreditors have compared favorably to those of e Juilliard School.
7. is is made possible by the school’s flipped calendar, which is similar to those in Australasia—with summer and fall classes, and a winter vacation or flexible term.
9. In a professional performing arts program, the physical and mental demands on aspiring artists can be high, as you might expect—similar to those experienced by Division 1 or Olympic athletes.
8. e college has exceptional facilities, which accreditors have compared favorably to those of e Juilliard School.
6. Students have once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunities through the college’s unique practicum program, administered in collaboration with Shen Yun Performing Arts.
9. In a professional performing arts program, the physical and mental demands on aspiring artists can be high, as you might expect—similar to those experienced by Division 1 or Olympic athletes
FEI TIAN COLLEGE 140 Galley Hill Rd, Cuddebackville, NY 12729, USA +1 (845) 672-0550 contact@feitian.edu www.feitian.edu
Letter From the President of Fei Tian College
7. This is made possible by the school’s flipped calendar, which is similar to those in Australasia—with summer and fall classes, and a winter vacation or flexible term.
Letter From the President of Fei Tian College
As the President of Fei Tian College, I have the honor of working with some of the world’s most talented young artists every day. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. At Fei Tian we strive to foster lives of purpose in our students while also preparing them for the demands of professional careers in the arts. We balance this with an unwavering commitment to student well-being. It’s something close to heart for me as a Professor and mentor to students—as well as a former dancer myself.
8. The college has exceptional facilities, which accreditors have compared favorably to those of The Juilliard School.
9. In a professional performing arts program, the physical and mental demands on aspiring artists can be high, as you might expect—similar to those experienced by Division 1 or Olympic athletes.
As the President of Fei Tian College, I have the honor of working with some of the world’s most talented young artists every day. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. At Fei Tian we strive to foster lives of purpose in our students while also preparing them for the demands of professional careers in the arts. We balance this with an unwavering commitment to student well-being. It’s something close to heart for me as a Professor and mentor to students—as well as a former dancer myself.
10. Student safety and wellness are always a focus, as such. The campus has a robust public safety staff and a team of seasoned medical professionals available 24/7. Meditation and wellness initiatives are a major part of campus life.
Our school isn’t just a performing arts conservatory, but also groundbreaking and innovative. While many are familiar with the world-class organization known as Shen Yun, which many of our students have the opportunity to perform with, lesser known is our institution: Fei Tian College.
11. The campus has a focus on community and face-to-face interactions—as reflected by the school’s responsible-use-of-technology initiatives that were well ahead of their time.
Let me take a moment to tell you about what makes the College so special, and help provide a fuller picture of what we do.
Our school isn’t just a performing arts conservatory, but also groundbreaking and innovative. While many are familiar with the world-class organization known as Shen Yun, which many of our students have the opportunity to perform with, lesser known is our institution: Fei Tian College.
Let me take a moment to tell you about what makes the College so special, and help provide a fuller picture of what we do.
1. We’re accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
2. We’re the first college in the U.S. to offer degrees in classical Chinese dance; we offer a BA and MFA in dance, as well as in classical music and stage production.
1. We’re accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
12. While some students seek to pursue other paths after enrolling, the vast majority of students find fulfillment at the College—as reflected in the 98% first-year retention rate over the past 3 incoming classes, and an 83% graduation rate for our most recent cohort—both well above national and regional averages.
3. Fei Tian is also a religiously affiliated college, founded by practitioners of Falun Gong. We’re a mission-driven school, with a strong component of character education.
2. We’re the first college in the U.S. to offer degrees in classical Chinese dance; we offer a BA and MFA in dance, as well as in classical music and stage production.
4. Admissions are need-blind, and all students receive full scholarships. Every student graduates debt-free.
3. Fei Tian is also a religiously affiliated college, founded by practitioners of Falun Gong. We’re a mission-driven school, with a strong component of character education.
5. e innovative curriculum is bilingual and bicultural (Chinese-English), and prepares students for the demands of careers as performing artists.
4. Admissions are need-blind, and all students receive full scholarships. Every student graduates debt-free.
It’s a balancing act, to be sure, especially as a faith group targeted by the powerful communist regime of China—an economic superpower with influence and operations even right here, in the free world. But at Fei Tian we have a wonderfully dedicated and thoughtful faculty, a sense of greater purpose, and culture of self-improvement that translates into always looking for ways to grow and do better—even as we begin our second decade of operations.
6. Students have once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunities through the college’s unique practicum program, administered in collaboration with Shen Yun Performing Arts.
5. e innovative curriculum is bilingual and bicultural (Chinese-English), and prepares students for the demands of careers as performing artists.
7. is is made possible by the school’s flipped calendar, which is similar to those in Australasia—with summer and fall classes, and a winter vacation or flexible term.
6. Students have once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunities through the college’s unique practicum program, administered in collaboration with Shen Yun Performing Arts.
I invite you to learn more about our college and its programs at our website, feitian.edu, or to hear from some of our graduates, in their own words, by visiting shenyuncommunity.org.
8. e college has exceptional facilities, which accreditors have compared favorably to those of e Juilliard School.
Thank you for your time and interest, as well as for your support of the arts.
7. is is made possible by the school’s flipped calendar, which is similar to those in Australasia—with summer and fall classes, and a winter vacation or flexible term.
Sincerely,
9. In a professional performing arts program, the physical and mental demands on aspiring artists can be high, as you might expect—similar to those experienced by Division 1 or Olympic athletes.
8. e college has exceptional facilities, which accreditors have compared favorably to those of e Juilliard School.
9. In a professional performing arts program, the physical and mental demands on aspiring artists can be high, as you might expect—similar to those experienced by Division 1 or Olympic athletes
Vina Lee President, Fei Tian College
FEI TIAN COLLEGE 140 Galley Hill Rd, Cuddebackville, NY 12729, USA +1 (845) 672-0550 contact@feitian.edu www.feitian.edu
How I Care for Shen Yun Performers
The morning the New York Times published its article claiming Shen Yun performers were denied medical care, I walked into my clinic in Hackensack, New Jersey. One of my clinic’s physicians immediately spoke up: “This is ridiculous,” she told me, “we just had three Shen Yun dancers here in the past two weeks. What kind of story is this?”
The Times’ narrative is so shockingly far from the truth. Shen Yun is a big company with hundreds of dancers at the very peak of athletic performance. Injuries are not as common as one might think, but they do happen. At any given time, I can tell you who is getting X-rays, who is getting MRIs, and who is in physical therapy. We have a steady flow of patients from Shen Yun and they are getting regular medical care and treatment.
I regularly work with a range of athletes like football players and figure skaters. It is a big deal when you have an injury and you put your heart and soul into making a full comeback. It is no different for Shen Yun’s performers. To say that the Shen Yun company has not been supportive of its dancers is horribly misleading. If anything, I have seen a tremendous amount of support from the company’s management, from the dance instructors, and from parents. It’s clear that everyone wants the dancers to make a full recovery, and to do it the right way without rushing them back.
I don’t know what kind of investigation these reporters did, but they obviously didn’t talk to many people—I know so many physicians who have treated Shen Yun performers and none of them was approached. They certainly didn’t talk to me, perhaps the doctor who sees them the most.
Sincerely,
Dr. Damon Noto
Dr. Damon Noto, MD Award-winning physician at the Spine and Joint Center serving New York and New Jersey. Dr. Noto was selected as America’s top 1% of practicing doctors multiple times.
The New York Times Inaccurate Coverage of Shen Yun — What You Need to Know
Since August 2024, The New York Times has published a series of articles on the Shen Yun dance company, founded by people who practice Falun Gong, and on Falun Gong itself. A petition signed by over 1,500 current and former Shen Yun performers, along with some immediate family members, calls the Times’ portrayals “gross distortions and false narratives about our work, our faith, and our way of life.” Doctors, lawyers, and China specialists closely familiar with Shen Yun and Falun Gong have also criticized the Times’ coverage. Here are some of the key concerns...
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Undisclosed Ties to China Timing & Substance: Eerily Helping Beijing’s Endgame
At least three of the six former Shen Yun performers photographed and quoted multiple times by the Times’ articles have undisclosed ties to a Chinese government entity. Readers are left entirely in the dark about this glaring conflict of interest.
Cherry-picked Interviewees, Seeking Explicitely Dark Stories
The reporting draws almost entirely on the accounts of seven individuals out of over 1,000 current and former Shen Yun performers—using their comments to cast wide-ranging accusations. Furthermore, email records indicate journalists omitted lengthy communications with former Shen Yun performers that contradicted their shadowy narrative. The thousands of performers, family, and supporting staff with positive experiences were not given a voice. Also, doctors who have treated Shen Yun performers and Shen Yun performers who can attest to the quality of treatment received were not interviewed.
This barrage of articles comes amidst a new, insidious campaign by the Chinese regime to eliminate Falun Gong and Shen Yun globally. Leaked documents from top CCP meetings, corroborated by overseas China experts, set forth the following methods and goals to target Shen Yun: Use China-friendly scholars and journalists to be the voice for the CCP, use disinformation and lawfare as key strategies to prompt investigations by U.S. agencies, and turn American society against Falun Gong and Shen Yun.
Videos and Interviews About Shen Yun
THE SCHOOLS WHERE SHEN YUN TALENT IS BORN
Step into a fascinating world; an intimate portrait of student life at this groundbreaking institution.
Watch at: sypa.info/ftc
INTERVIEW WITH SHEN YUN LAWYERS
Attorneys Justin Butterfield and Lea Patterson discuss the CCP targeting Shen Yun in America.
Watch at: sypa.info/legal
WHY IS BEIJING TRYING TO SILENCE SHEN YUN?
Behind the bomb threats, lawfare, and media smears that all trace back to the Chinese regime.
Watch at: sypa.info/sabotage
INTERVIEW WITH A SHEN YUN PHYSICIAN
Dr. Damon Noto is an award-winning physician who treats football players, figure skaters, and Shen Yun dancers.
Watch at: sypa.info/dr
DID YOU KNOW? FIVE THINGS ABOUT SHEN YUN
It’s more than just a performance; it’s a mission. Get to know our story and the heart behind why we do what we do.
Watch at: sypa.info/5
INACCURACIES AND BIAS IN TIMES’ COVERAGE
The Times’ coverage of Shen Yun is riddled with inaccuracies, exhibits strong bias, and fails to disclose ties between interviewees and the Chinese regime.
