“I was wondering, do they ever get tired, because they seem so light on their feet. They go so high in the air, and it's incredible to watch. The choreography was amazing, the costumes, the sets, everything,” Ms. Martinez said.
“I believed every world that I was stepping into,” Ms. Dedow, a soprano, said.
“Whoever wrote the poetry, the lyrics for it, understood how to fit the lyrics together in such a way that they have the same flow between the verses, and they matched the melody of it to the lyrics so well,” she added.
Since 2006, the New York-based Shen Yun has been sharing traditional Chinese culture with the world, showcasing a China before communism.
Alison Bennett, a music teacher, had tears in her eyes as she was describing the Shen Yun performance.
“It wasn't the lights,” Ms. Bennett said. “It's more because I do care so much, and it was such a beautiful experience for me that it's flowing over. But yes, it was very touching, and I just— I'm so grateful. I'm grateful that the whole experience was brought here and that I got to be a part of it tonight as a member of the audience.
“When [the performance] had what I perceived as a savior coming down, I was like, ‘Wow,’ we all need a savior, right?”
“I just think it's one of those things that as we treat each other with love and kindness, just like whatever our greater deity may be, we will find peace and joy in our life,” Ms. Campbell said.
Jared Green, a former drummer with the Allyptic band, said he wants “to be a better person.”
“As I got watching it towards the end, I saw the being coming out of the sky, and it was just incredible, and it somehow has changed my life forever,” Mr. Green said.
“I'm going to change my whole lifestyle. I'm going to quit drinking and everything,” he said, adding that the performance has motivated him.
According to Shen Yun’s website, its name means “the beauty of divine beings dancing.”
Ms. Martinez said, “You could see that on stage as they were dancing, that they were all just individuals dancing and just sharing so much light and beauty.”
“It's really an uplifting experience,” said Todd Martin, a former finance professor.
“In fact, I'd like to get some of the music to listen to,” Mr. Martin said. “It's unlike anything I've ever seen in a cultural, artistic way, and it's simply something everybody needs to see and appreciate.”
