Sum Tin Wong: Shen Yun group accused of abusive labor practices
The Shen Yun dance group is facing allegations of forced labor and child labor in a lawsuit filed by a former dancer for the troupe.
Chun-Ko Chang, who lives in Taiwan but formerly danced for the group, claims Shen Yun runs “a sophisticated operation that is designed to identify and recruit vulnerable people to work as Dancers, ensnare them in a system that dominates every aspect of their lives, and force them to work grueling hours through multiple methods of control and coercion,” as detailed in a lawsuit first reported by Seamus Hughes’ Court Watch.
Also listed as defendants are associated entities, Shen Yun’s financial backer the International Bank of Chicago and executives Hongzhi Li, Rui Li and Shujia Gong, who is also known as Tianliang Zhang.
The suit contains numerous allegations, including that those dancers who are perceived to have stepped out of line are subjected to public humiliation and not allowed to leave the group’s compound or speak with their families.
Shen Yun, which advertises itself as a depiction of China before communism, has also made headlines this year after an agent of the Chinese government admitted to trying to bribe an IRS official to go after Falun Gong, which puts on the Shen Yun shows and is a prominent critic of the Chinese Communist Party.
Shen Yun did not immediately return a request for comment.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 8, 2024 6:19 PM
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I saw this show in real life. Twirling in front of a screen. It's a joke.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 8, 2024 1:26 AM
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It's time this criminal enterprise got shut down. This is just the beginning of something bigger, I believe.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | December 8, 2024 1:30 AM
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[quote]force them to work grueling hours through multiple methods of control and coercion
If this were true, the show would be MUCH better.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | December 8, 2024 1:30 AM
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Isn't the group a major Trump donor?
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | December 8, 2024 1:37 AM
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They must be MAGAts ! They will perform at Trump's inauguration - wait and see !
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 8, 2024 1:39 AM
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I've always wondered how they solicit such over-the-top positive reviews from real people.
I can understand why they might be obligated to give an interview in exchange for free tickets, but the comments all generally employ the same degree of hyperbole. "Life-changing!" "Once-in-a-million show!" "Best I've ever seen!" "Without peer!" etc.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 8, 2024 9:36 AM
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The Epoch Times was pro-Trump, iirc.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 8, 2024 12:56 PM
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This has always seemed like some kind of shady political cult.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 8, 2024 1:07 PM
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Falun Gong/Falun Da IS a cult. You can hate the CCP and still point out this very obvious truth. Their depiction of China prior to communism is utterly fake, as people who were alive and experienced it and then saw the show attested to. They are also very homophobic.
The Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty Television are their media/propaganda outlets and boy do they ever support Trump and the global right wing in general. Awful people.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 8, 2024 2:39 PM
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I was curious to see the show for a while because they're constantly in my city, but like r10 I also had that feeling. And lo and behold I found out they're Falun Gong.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 8, 2024 4:06 PM
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The Epoch Times has gone to war with NYT over the latter's coverage of their beloved Shen Yun.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 8, 2024 6:19 PM
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