Shen Yun dance company under investigation for cult-like practices

Shen Yun, the Chinese classical dance company touring Italy in 2025, is under investigation in the US for alleged child labor, abuse, and exploitation. The company is linked to Falun Gong, a religious movement founded by Li Hongzhi in 1992, which has been labeled a cult by the Chinese government. Former dancers report systematic discouragement of medical care, grueling 15-hour workdays, body shaming, and threats of eternal damnation for leaving. The New York Times investigation describes a control atmosphere with limited outside contact. Since November 2024, Shen Yun and the far-right media outlet The Epoch Times are under investigation based on a former dancer's testimony. The company operates six parallel troupes under the non-profit Shen Yun Performing Arts, founded in 2006 in New York's Hudson Valley, with dancers trained at Fei Tian Academy in upstate New York.