Shen Yun Brings Message of Harmony to Arkansas

Audience members in Little Rock praise the performance's artistry and spiritual themes.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based company that aims to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, recently performed in Little Rock, Arkansas. Audience members were deeply moved by the show's messages of spirituality, compassion, and hope, as well as its impressive artistic execution.

Why it matters

Shen Yun's tour across the United States helps spread traditional Chinese culture and values to diverse audiences, fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. The performance's themes of humanity and goodness also resonate with viewers, offering a sense of unity and positivity in troubled times.

The details

The Shen Yun performance featured dances from different regions and ethnic groups in China, as well as story-based dances conveying universal moral values. Audience members were particularly struck by the piece depicting the persecution of Falun Gong, a traditional spiritual practice, by the Chinese Communist Party.

  • Shen Yun performed in Little Rock, Arkansas on February 24, 2026.
  • The company will next perform in Phoenix, Arizona from March 5-8, 2026.

The players

Shen Yun Performing Arts

A New York-based company that aims to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture through dance and music performances.

Mart Wilburn

An IT professional and business owner who attended the Shen Yun performance in Little Rock.

Mike Starr

An author who was deeply moved by the Shen Yun performance, describing it as filling him with "spirituality, hope, and healing."

Andrew Gordon

A manager at a technology company who was struck by the performance's depiction of the persecution of Falun Gong.

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What they’re saying

“The dance is beyond professional. To me, I really enjoyed seeing all the synchronisation of the movements ... the way that they were able to express themselves ... It was just wonderful.”

— Mart Wilburn, IT professional and business owner (NTD News)

“[Shen Yun] fills you with spirituality, hope, and healing. The beautiful music, and the fantastic colors, and the orchestra that accompanied it was incredible. They were phenomenal.”

— Mike Starr, Author (NTD News)

“The organ harvesting scene, the story about the gentleman that lost his eyes; that was very powerful. If you think about the human factor of this and what's going on with the persecution, then that absolutely strikes a chord that I think, if you're human, absolutely resonates.”

— Andrew Gordon, Manager at a technology company (NTD News)

What’s next

Shen Yun will be performing in Phoenix, Arizona from March 5-8, 2026.

The takeaway

Shen Yun's performance in Little Rock, Arkansas resonated deeply with audience members, who praised the show's artistry, spirituality, and messages of compassion and humanity. The performance's ability to foster cross-cultural understanding and positivity in troubled times highlights its potential to be 'the key to world peace.'