For Mr. Becke, the timing of the performance carried special meaning. He described the experience as “grace, mercy, and salvation from the Creator,” adding that attending Shen Yun during Easter made it especially significant.
Reflecting on the performance, he said he found it both moving and uplifting. “It’s kind of overwhelming—it was really so beautiful,” he said. “I felt that the core message was compassion and forbearance. Those values are very encouraging and remind us to support one another.”
Mrs. Becke, a recently-retired insurance claims consultant, was especially impressed by the visual elements of the show. She described the visual experience as punctuated by “colors from heaven—just beautiful, bright colors,” and praised the costumes as “very beautiful.”
Beyond the dance performance, the musical elements left a strong impression on Mr. Becke as well, particularly the piece by a Shen Yun singer. “What really stood out to me was the singer—you could see the lyrics in both Chinese and English,” he said. “The message resonated with me, and it reminded me that the Creator exists within all people, within our souls. That was very encouraging.”
Mr. Becke was also pleasantly surprised by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which performs alongside the dancers and features a distinctive blend of Eastern and Western instruments. “I thought the music was recorded, but it’s actually a live orchestra—and it sounded perfect,” Mr. Becke said.
“Everything—from the dancers to the orchestra—was just beautiful. We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to see it.”
For Mr. Becke, the performance extended beyond aesthetic beauty, inspiring deeper reflection on spiritual questions. “It makes you think about where we come from and where we’re going,” he said. “We all relate to that—the idea that there is a heaven and a hell. We’re Christian, so we believe in that, but we also see that we’re all on this journey together.”
Mr. Becke expressed concern over the acts of persecution depicted in the performance. “Falun Gong practitioners are being persecuted in China—even [becoming victims of] organ harvesting,” he said. “That’s terrible. It shows that sometimes something good within a country is being targeted and eliminated.”
At the same time, he found the message ultimately uplifting. “In theology, evil often tries to destroy what is good,” he said. “But what’s encouraging is that people everywhere—whether in America or China—are facing the same struggle against evil. That shared experience is very powerful.”
Amid Shen Yun’s 20th anniversary milestone, Mr. Becke expressed heartfelt appreciation for the artists. “Your dedication is incredible. Seeing so many young performers achieve this level through discipline and dedication is really impressive,” he said.
“We truly appreciate being able to see such discipline, hard work, and artistry. In a world with so many cultures, it’s a beautiful thing to experience something like this.”
