DALLAS—Former NFL wide receiver Eddie Bell was in attendance at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, Jan. 4.

Mr. Bell, who played seven NFL seasons from 1970–1976, attended the performance with Brenda Bryson. It was their first time seeing Shen Yun.

As a tap dancer, Mr. Bell felt a special connection to Shen Yun’s portrayal of classical Chinese dance.

“I love dance—all movement,” he said. “I read that it was an inspirational show; it was every bit that, then some. It was very inspiring.”

Ms. Bryson also felt an affinity for the performance. “I thought it was excellent,” she said.

The Shen Yun website reads, “Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture.”

As another fan of dance in particular, Ms. Bryson added that the mix of art and culture in the performance was a special treat and very inspirational.

“Also, I loved looking at anything that has to do with any culture. I travel a lot—we both do—so it’s just very nice,” she said.

Shen Yun seeks to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, a culture that has been nearly destroyed after 60 years of communist rule in China.

“But now the public can see that great movement and culture of China and the traditional dance of China,” said Mr. Bell.

He also said that he was deeply moved by the two-stringed erhu, known as the Chinese violin, which has a history of about 4,000 years in China.

“It almost sounded like she was weeping and crying. It was almost as if it was speaking to me. As she played it, it touched me very much,” he said.

Mr. Bell summarized the performance, “Fantastic. You must see Shen Yun!”

Reporting by Ruth Li 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.