HOUSTON—Julie Tran, a business owner, had loved Shen Yun Performing Arts so much when she first discovered it that she has made a point to see it every year for the last five years or so, and this time invited a large group of friends interested in culture and dance, attending the Feb. 15 performance at the CFISD Visual and Performing Arts Center with a party of 27.

“Everybody liked the show,” said Ms. Tran. “All of us, we love them. ... It’s amazing. We love the show so much.”

Pablo Garciga, an attorney, received tickets to see Shen Yun from his sister as a birthday present and shared insight into why audience members would see Shen Yun again and again.

“And I love how when the human spirit is under oppression, we turn to God, and that only He can give us the peace that will surpass this existence. And I thought it was a beautiful slant to the presentation. Very beautiful. Very beautiful,” he said. “

Mr. Garciga said he is from Cuba and knows how oppressive life under communist rule becomes, relating to the fact that Shen Yun shows a “China before communism” and cannot perform in China today, which is still under communist rule.

“I think it’s beautiful that God would reveal himself to you and me. And in those moments of trial, he’s always there once we simply reach out to him. And I think that was really beautiful. I love the general spirit of the liberation of the oppression, which has to be in China or in Cuba, where I’m from, and all of our grandparents suffered,” he said.

“I think it’s a really beautiful triumph of the human spirit to see that we turn to God, to the Creator, and He gives us peace. I thought it was beautiful. I really did,” he said.

“I would recommend it always,” he added. “I mean, whoever I speak with, I will definitely speak very highly of it.”