STAMFORD, Conn.—Don Werner, an eye surgeon, had an “absolutely wonderful evening” watching Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Palace Theatre on July 24.

“The coordination of the background to the dance where people go behind the scenes and then appear in the back—it’s fantastic, it’s wonderful, it’s a fantasy,” Werner said.

Werner attended the performance with his friend, Elizabeth Tardif, a realtor and art consultant.

Tardif was similarly touched by the performance.

“I think it’s just breathtaking. It’s beautiful,” she said. “The performing, the precision, the colors, it’s fabulous. It’s quite an experience.”

“So sad that they’re not able to do this in China,” Tardif added. “I think more and more people need to see this and appreciate what Chinese culture really is.”

Both Werner and Tardif said they were moved by the expressions on the dancers’ faces.

“The performers are beautiful, very beautiful young men and young women. And it’s so nice to see their beautiful faces, so smiley and happy,” Werner said.

“You don’t see anything like that,” he said.

The two friends both felt Shen Yun’s performance was steeped in “tradition,” referring to the performance’s exhibition of classical Chinese dance, stories from China’s 5,000-year heritage, as well as ethnic and folk dances.

“The tradition is just marvelous,” Werner said.

“It’s a beautiful show and as many people as possible need to see it,” Tardif said. “Thank you for being out there—thank you for showing us this incredible show,” she expressed to the performers.

“They’ve made an absolutely wonderful evening for us,” Werner added. “And we hope that they'll continue to make wonderful evenings all over the world for people to open their eyes to see what the true China was.”