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Shen Yun dance troupe is set to take the stage at the Keller Auditorium this weekend, and they’re bringing controversy with them for the second year in a row.
The classical Chinese dance company has been under investigation for mistreatment of its young dancers since a New York Times exposé published in 2024. The feds are investigating Shen Yun—an arm of the Falun Gong religious movement—for possible visa fraud, and New York state is investigating the group’s compliance with labor laws. Two former dancers have filed suit that the dance troupe has subjected an “army of child laborers” to illegal working conditions and psychological coercion. These cases are ongoing.
Since WW reported on Shen Yun during the group’s last swing through the Keller in January 2025, theaters in Ottawa and Montreal declined to rebook Shen Yun due to the allegations.
Portlander Jesica Dolin did not have any of this context when she purchased three front-row seats to Shen Yun for $585 total for a performance at the Keller this weekend as a birthday present for a friend. Then, she watched a CBS Sunday Morning interview with the former dancers from the lawsuit called “Behind the Scenes of Shen Yun” and decided she could not support the organization. She asked for her money back from her credit card company, citing “misrepresentation in advertising.”
“It’s not enough to get my money back,” Dolin says. “I want the whole thing shut down.”
To that end, she has gone on an emailing spree. Dolin has reached out to the city of Portland, which owns the Keller; regional government Metro, which manages it; the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries’ child labor unit; and Shen Yun itself. She had an exchange with Rachael Lembo, executive director of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, but nothing signaled a potential cancellation or increased attention to the dancers’ safety.
“The best way to discourage artists like this from coming is to not purchase tickets,” Lembo wrote.
Shen Yun will perform four times over three days at the Keller, April 17–19. Tickets cost $95–$215. When asked why Metro continues to book Shen Yun every year and whether the organization is taking any extra safety steps, Metro spokesman Nick Christensen sent the following statement:
“Metro and the Portland’5 Centers for the Arts are committed to supporting the performing arts community. In general, Metro does not deny any group or person who chooses to book a P’5 venue, or cancel any contracted event unless there is a threat to public safety or a breach of the licensing agreement.
“Metro seeks to provide an informative and engaging experience for attendees, consistent with our mission to serve the public interest. As with all the bookings at P’5 venues, allowing a performance to take place is not an endorsement of any political, social, or personal viewpoints associated with the performers or their affiliates.
“Metro employees are mandatory reporters and are required to notify officials of any abuse they witness.”
