What Is Going On with Shen Yun? All About the Controversy Surrounding the Chinese Dance Group

The Chinese dance group, which was founded in 2006, is affiliated with the Falun Gong religion

Dancers in the Chinese performance show Shen Yun run through a technical rehearsal on March 18, 2016, in Long Beach, Calif.Credit : Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty

There's more than what meets the eye when it comes to the Shen Yun Performing Arts group.

Founded in 2006, the dance group advertises itself as a celebration of China's culture and heritage that brings performers from all over the world to train in New York before touring globally.

While Shen Yun appears graceful and colorful on the prolific amount of billboards and advertisements posted around the world, some former performers have accused the dance group of an abusive environment behind the scenes.

In response to some of the accusations that surfaced in November 2024, Shen Yun's representatives released a statement maintaining that students' participation is fully voluntary.

"Sure, some people leave because it's not for them, and that's perfectly fine," the statement read, per The New York Times. "But the vast majority of students will tell you this is their dream come true, and the parents rave about the positive changes in their children."

So, what are the allegations being leveled against Shen Yun? Here's everything to know about the controversial dance group and the accusations made against them — including what Shen Yun performers and employees have said in response.

What is Shen Yun?

Shen Yun, a Chinese dance and music company, performs on March 18, 2016 in Long Beach, Calif.Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance company that focuses on "bringing to life a lost culture through beautiful art," per the group's website.

With vibrant costumes and backdrops, the performances tell a story of the "beauty and goodness of China before communism," per the website.

But, the group is more than just an entertaining performance. Spiritual leader and the founder of Falun Gong, a religious movement, Li Hongzhi co-created the show to help amplify the beliefs of the religion.

Although the dance group is registered as a non-profit organization, it has become a money-maker for Falun Gong, per The Daily, which also shared that tax records show that the group has $266 million in assets and makes well over $10 million a year in ticket sales.

What is Falun Gong?

Members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement hold candles during a candlelight vigil on July 19, 2001, in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty

Falun Gong, or Falun Dafa, is a religious movement that emerged in China in the early 1990s, per CNN. According to the Freedom House's reporting, at least 70 million people were practicing Falun Gong by 1999.

Shen Yun describes Falun Dafa on their website as a "mind-body practice guided by the principles of truth, compassion, and forbearance."

"They meditate together, study teachings together, and believe that cultivating the heart is the way to create art that is truly sublime," the site reads.

It is common practice for Shen Yun performers to meditate backstage before a show, specifically drawing inspiration from Falun Dafa's teachings, discipline and guidance, per the group's website.

"For our performers, practicing Falun Dafa is more than just meditation," the site reads. "It’s a state of mind that guides daily life, oriented toward self-betterment, taking responsibility, and putting others first."

Why is Shen Yun not allowed to perform in China?

Falun Gong protestors gather on Sept. 13, 2006 in London.JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP via Getty

Despite advertising itself as a celebration of Chinese culture, Shen Yun is not allowed to perform in China due to its association with Falun Gong, which is also anti-communist, per AP News.

As detailed on the dance group's website, Shen Yun makes various references to "Dafa" throughout its shows, including a dance that tells the story of China's persecution of those who practice it.

According to CNN, Falun Gong was banned and suppressed from China in 1999. The Guardian reported in July 2009 that Falun Gong members had been persecuted for practicing the movement's beliefs since it was banned, with supporters outside China claiming that 2,000 people have died in custody since 1999.

Falun Gong practicers are also subject to widespread surveillance, arbitrary detention and torture, per the Freedom House, which also reported that there were 933 cases of imprisonment for those exercising their right to freedom of expression and of religion between January 2013 and June 2016.

What has Shen Yun been accused of?

Angelia Wang, a principal dancer for Shen Yun.Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

In August 2024, The New York Times published an investigation into the performing arts group, revealing that many of its performers had claimed to be working under abusive conditions for years.

According to the outlet, performers were routinely discouraged from seeking care for injuries, as Hongzhi pushed the message that his teachings could expel illnesses from their bodies without medical treatment.

Some performers told the outlet that when they got sick or injured, instructors led them to believe something was wrong with their spiritual state, per the outlet. Meanwhile, others danced through dislocated kneecaps and sprained ankles as a way to avoid being labeled as unfaithful to Hongzhi, who they were taught to see as a living god and creator of the universe.

Representatives of Shen Yun and Falun Gong denied the allegations to the outlet, claiming that performers who got hurt did not go without medical care.

In a September 2024 podcast episode for the Shen Yun Community, Dr. Damon Noto contested the claims, sharing that he has treated several Shen Yun dancers. That same month, CEO of Northern Medical Center Dr. Jingduan Yang appeared on the podcast and said the claims were "ridiculous.

"Anybody who get injured or are in pain will get immediate treatments, because that's the only way they can heal, can recover and return to the performance," he said, adding that his colleagues meet with at least two to three performers every month.

Dancers also alleged to The New York Times that they worked long hours for little to no pay. For example, despite performing more than 800 shows a year, some performers in their mid-20s were being paid $12,000 or less, per The New York Times.

Shen Yun representatives claimed that their dancers were paid a legally allowed amount that was in keeping with industry standards. Shen Yun also noted that all students are on full scholarship which amounts to about $50,000 a year.

Elsewhere in the investigation, some former Shen Yun performers detailed experiencing an atmosphere of fear, including being subjected to emotional abuse and manipulation.

In response, the Falun Dafa Information Center claimed that The New York Times' investigation only told a one-sided story, contesting many of the outlets' accusations.

The information center also claims there were several conflicts of interest among sources, specifically that at least three of the six performers quoted throughout the investigation allegedly had undisclosed ties to the Beijing Dance Academy, one of Shen Yun's major competitors.

In their contestation, the information center provided alleged email receipts that suggested Shen Yun representatives had offered to arrange interviews with performers who had sought and received medical treatment, but the outlet did not speak with them.

The alleged emails further claimed that there are medical records to disprove the outlets' accusations, though it believed it wasn't given an adequate amount of time to provide them.

Why was there a lawsuit against Shen Yun?

Shen Yun, a Chinese dance and music company, performs on March 18, 2016, in Long Beach, Calif.Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

A few months after the initial accusations from The New York Times, the outlet reported that one of the cited performers, Chang Chun-Ko, filed a lawsuit against the group.

She accused Shen Yun and its leaders of trafficking vulnerable children to work for little to no pay, and said in a statement that she is suing to "make sure no children go through what I went through," per the outlet.

According to The New York Times, Chun-Ko described Shen Yun as a "forced labor enterprise" that has exploited underage dancers through threats and public shaming — and amassed millions of dollars in the process.

The lawsuit describes Shen Yun's alleged tactics for instilling obedience, including confiscating their passports, cutting them off from the outside media, denouncing them as Chinese government spies if they question the organization's practices and putting those who rebel through public critique sessions, per The New York Times.

Chun-Ko's lawsuit also details the alleged "system of coercion and control" that takes over "every aspect" of the performers' — who often arrive to train in the group's New York headquarters as young teens with no connections in the U.S. — lives.

Its tactics allegedly include limiting who the participants are allowed to contact, monitoring their calls and personal diary entries and even keeping them inside the headquarters by armed guards, per the outlet.

The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

A representative for the Falun Dafa Information Center claimed that Chun-Ko only began criticizing Shen Yun after she began associating with Beijing Dance Company, which is a CCP-run dance organization and one of Shen Yun's competitors.

What have Shen Yun performers said about their experience?

Shen Yun dancers run through a technical rehearsal at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach, Calif.Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty

While Shen Yun has faced a slew of criticism, there are several current and former performers and employees who have spoken about positive experiences from their time with the group.

Over 1,000 current and former Shen Yun dancers, musicians, production staff and family members signed a petition stating that they are "horrified to see the gross distortions and false narratives about our work, our faith, and our way of life echoing through mainstream media."

Many of those who signed also commented on the positive impact Shen Yun has had on them. "Shen Yun is a gift and a blessing in my life," one signer wrote.

In September 2024, former Shen Yun employee Mingye Liu wrote an op-ed in Newsweek, outlining her positive experience with the company, saying that she "felt proud to be a part of it."