Is There a Link Between Chinese Shen Yun and Ballet?

Some people think that Shen Yun’s dance style is similar to ballet. The fact is that Shen Yun does not have much to do with ballet, but with Chinese Traditional Dance。

They may look similar, but they have very different training regimes.

Placing emphasis on bearing allows Shen Yun dancers to put feeling and meaning into their movements. (Yutube screenshot)

Shen Yun’s training is entirely traditional Chinese dance from the beginning, whether it is pedagogy, choreography, or other aspects. Shen Yun Dance has never incorporated ballet movements.

Shen Yun has several moves that ballet doesn’t. A simple example is the flip that usually attracts the viewer’s attention the most.

ballet vs Shen Yun — The starting point for ballet is perfection in outer form, whereas the inner quality called “bearing” is the root of all movement in Shen Yun dance.

Many movements in Chinese classical dance have their origins or are significantly influenced by traditional Chinese martial arts. In contrast, the origin of ballet is purely a form of dance.

Key Takeaways:

Shen Yun Dance is often compared to Ballet, but it’s closer to Traditional Chinese Dance
Traditional Chinese dance is now being called the Classical Chinese Dance.
While they are very similar, Classical Chinese Dance has many dances that aren’t in ballet.

“Some people think that the style of dance presented in a Shen Yun performance is similar to ballet. However, the truth is that Shen Yun has nothing to do with ballet. Instead, its foundation is completely based on traditional Chinese dance.”