DALLAS—The Ehlers were in attendance for Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas on Jan. 4.

“I loved it,” said Lindsay, who has been in a dancer for 12 years and has taken part in national competitions. “It was really cool and interesting, and I thought it was really pretty to watch.”

“For 5,000 years divine culture flourished in the land of China,” reads Shen Yun’s website. “Humanity’s treasure was nearly lost, but through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is bringing back this glorious culture.”

For over 60 years, traditional art forms have been nearly destroyed under communist rule in China. Though a delight to the senses in every respect, Shen Yun also touches on issues facing China today, including massive waves of oppression that continue unabated.

Larry was especially touched with finding out more of what he has only read in the news. “I wasn’t aware of the oppression that was still going on in China,” he said. “And through the dances, they were trying to express how China was not allowing their culture and the history to come out and dance. I found that very interesting.”

Mr. Ehlers, Vice President of Applications for Securus Technologies Inc., was thoroughly impressed by all facets of the presentation: “I thought it was a fantastic performance. They should keep doing what they’re doing and come back again.”

Kristin, a design assistant at interior design firm Design Style and Company, felt that the range of difficulty in the fluid motion of the dancers was highly difficult to achieve. “So I could see how much work went into that,” she said.

She added that it was more like the dancers floating than anything. “And the footwork was amazing,” she said. “Just to see how fast their feet moved—but yet they seemed to just be floating—like they weren’t moving at all.”

For Kaitlyn, a flautist, the music held the spot closest to her heart, but she added that the backdrop added something very special to the performance. “And I enjoyed the animation part, when they jump off the stage and would go into the animation screen,” she said. “Thought that was cool.”

Shen Yun performances feature a state-of-the-art digital backdrop that serves as an extension of the stage and transports the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one.

“The colors were amazing,” Kristin said, adding that every single way the colors mixed “looked beautiful on stage.”

“I would just say that I very much appreciated having the opportunity to see them perform,” Mr. Ehlers concluded.

Reporting by Amy Hu and Michael Fitzgerald.

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.