“This is my second time,” said Ms. Lani, “We’re always impressed by the artistry, the costumes, the gracefulness of the dancers, and the divine message behind each dance.”

“I come away just highly impressed—emotional actually—for the experience,” she said.

Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun presents story-based dances depicting heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales spanning 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. The company’s website says its performance this year demonstrates “China before communism.”

“I’ve been to China, and you can’t see this kind of tradition anymore,” Mr. Lueck said.

In stark contrast to the divinely inspired and delicate beauty of Shen Yun, Ms. Lani said a performance she saw in mainland China was “loud, noisy, rough, and not pretty.”

Thomas Wang, founder & CEO of Think Exceptionally, also attended the Shen Yun matinee performance at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando on May 22. He left very touched by the performance and found it to be “very emotional and beautiful.”

“I really enjoyed the diversity … from the Monkey King all the way to today’s time. It’s very relatable,” he said.

“I almost cried a couple of times because it brings back the memories,” he added.

As a Chinese-American whose parents immigrated from China, he said, “I feel that the depiction of Shen Yun versus current China is very true.”

“Shen Yun is doing a great job reminding us that China is more than just today’s communism,” he added, “It is a fusion of thousands of years’ history, so many different cultures, ethnicities, religions, arts, languages, and people.”

Mr. Wang commented that he was very grateful to Shen Yun’s performers for mastering their arts, with influences from the past and the present, to deliver their message of “China before communism” across different states and cities.