OTTAWA, Canada—Air Force colonel John Backstrom said Shen Yun is well worth seeing after taking in the classical Chinese dance performance at the National Arts Centre on Saturday, Jan. 3.

It was his first time seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts, having been unable to see it last year due to other commitments.

“It is very enjoyable, very relaxing, very colourful, very entertaining,” said Mr. Backstrom during the intermission.

Shen Yun was performing its second of four shows in the nation’s capital in front of another full house after opening Friday night to rave reviews.

Shen Yun aims to revive authentic Chinese culture and has been coming to the NAC for nine years as part of its annual international tour.

Mr. Backstrom recognized this. “It’s historical,” he said. “Very entertaining, beautiful, and cultural.”

Through classical Chinese dance, ethnic dance, and folk dance, Shen Yun takes the audience on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. With two emcees providing a brief introduction to all 21 dances and musical pieces, the audience also gains an understanding of traditional Chinese values.

“Loyalty, honesty, and nobility” were the values Mr. Backstrom identified with during the show and he felt they had relevance in today’s world as “good values.”

According to Shen Yun’s website, “Principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, all come to life. Originating from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, these ideals are the essence of traditional Chinese culture.”

Mr. Backstrom appreciated Shen Yun’s efforts to revive the ancient Chinese traditional culture and said he'd recommend it to his colleagues.

“A friend of mine from work who has lived here for a long time, who was very interested in it, told me to give him my recommendation, which of course I would. It’s well worth seeing,” he said.

Shen Yun has four touring companies, with the International Company performing two more shows in Ottawa before heading to Montreal Jan. 7-11.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.