Shen Yun Performing Arts will feature performances in Long Beach plus many other theaters throughout Southern California and the world.
Using the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of authentic Chinese culture. The 2026 production, unearths new historical figures, revisiting ancient legends, and traveling with timeless melodies through China’s five thousand years of civilization.
Shen Yun takes you back to the magical world of ancient China where you’ll experience a lost culture through the incredible art of classical Chinese dance and see legends come to life. Shen Yun pushes the boundaries of performing arts with stunning costuming, high-tech backdrops and an exceptional orchestra.
Shen Yun
SHEN YUN 2026
China Before Communism
5,000 Years of Civilization Reborn
Run Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes including intermission
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Shen Yun Tickets
Seating options and prices vary by theater.
Reserve Seats at the Shen Yun Official Site
The 2026 touring season is from December 2025 through May 2026.
SoCal Shen Yun Dates & Locations
*Not currently scheduled in Costa Mesa for the 2026 season
Northridge, CA | Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
Address: 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330-8448
Dates: Jan 15-18, 2026
Downtown Los Angeles, CA | The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Address: 135 North Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Dates: January 22-25, 2026
Escondido, CA | California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Address: 340 N Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA 92025
Dates: Jan 27-29, 2026
Thousand Oaks, CA | Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Address: 2100 E Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Dates: January 30-February 1, 2026
Long Beach, CA | Terrace Theater
Address: 300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Dates: Feb 6-8, 2026
Other California Performances are also scheduled.
Shen Yun Dancing
Shen Yun’s short story dances are excerpts from Chinese history highlighting significant cultural elements like the Yellow Emperor of antiquity, modern-day tales, heroes, deities, or other colorful characters from Chinese dynasties.
The classical Chinese dancing is steered by the artist’s heart. According to Shen Yun, “Only when dancers invest their feelings into the movements will the body be able to follow the heart. This creates a compelling and expressive dance form.”
“The same movement can be fast or slow, sorrowful or joyful, all depending on what type of feeling the dancer wants to express,” Shen Yun Principal Dancer Carol Huang says. “The same movement can express different things because the feeling behind the movement is different. This is one of the unique characteristics of classical Chinese dance… Just like traditional Chinese culture, classical Chinese dance focuses on inner meanings and feelings.”
There is a Chinese saying: 艺无止境 (yi wu zhi jing), meaning “artistic excellence is an endless journey.” Classical Chinese Dance involves various jumping, tumbling, and turning techniques that have evolved over time and been adapted from other forms of dance. Some of the movements include:
- Barrel Leap
- Sao Tang, literally “sweeping the court”
- Windmill turns
- Butterfly kick
- Front tuck
- Leg holds
- Zhan shen, a movement based on the tornado kick.
Shen Yun Music
A live orchestra accompanies every Shen Yun performance and each piece of music performed by the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is an original composition that brings the stories to life. Many of the melodies are inspired by ancient folk and ethnic tunes passed down through the dynasties.
The original compositions combine classical Western and Eastern instruments. The erhu and the pipa are Ancient Chinese instruments leading the melodies with and an orchestra composed of Western strings, percussion, woodwinds, and brass.
About Shen Yun
Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company based in New York, originally formed in 2006 by artists who left China in pursuit of freedom of belief. Shen Yun became a global sensation in less than a decade.
According to Shen Yun, its mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, showcasing the beauty of China before communism through music and dance.
“Shen” means divine or divinity, and “Yun” means feeling or rhythm. The name “Shen Yun” translates into “the beauty of divine beings dancing.”
Shen Yun’s performances include a mix of classical Chinese dance, folk dance, story-based dance, and live music played on traditional Chinese instruments. The company is known for its colorful costumes and elaborate backdrops, as well as its use of digital animation.
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