EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Eric Dodd, president and CEO of a contracting company, deepened his understanding of Chinese culture after experiencing an evening of Shen Yun Performing Arts. “The culture is extremely deep and more artistic in nature than I anticipated,” he said.

In fact, he thinks the performance is broadening how the world sees Chinese culture: “I think the depth of the culture hasn’t been known to the outside world until this [performance].”

Mr. Dodd attended the performance on Jan. 28 at the Aiken Theatre at The Centre with his wife and children, two sets of twins.

The New York-based Shen Yun brings 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to the world through classically trained dancers, award-winning singers, and a full orchestra comprised of both Eastern and Western instruments.

But behind the beauty and perfection of the performers, Shen Yun also manages to relate the depth of Chinese culture. The expressive nature of its prime medium, classical Chinese dance, allows each short dance to tell a story—stories of China’s legends, myths and history, both ancient and modern, through this dance form.

“I think that [Shen Yun’s] going to open up a lot of eyes as to how oppressed [China] is currently, under the regime that is in control right now,” Mr. Dodd said, reacting to the fact that Shen Yun is not allowed into China.

“I didn’t understand how oppressed the culture really was,” he said.

“Over its past 60 years of rule, the communist regime has treated traditional Chinese values, centered on the idea of harmony between heaven and earth, as a threat to its existence,” according to Shen Yun’s website.

Thus, the traditional arts of China were all but lost; that is, until Shen Yun formed to revive them.

With reporting by Stacy Tang and Sharon Kilarski

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

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