OKLAHOMA CITY—Shen Yun Performing Arts gave a performance that the audience loved  at the OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater on Feb. 23.

Matt and Marcia Thompson attended their first Shen Yun performance with their children Charlie Thompson and River Kahler. Mr. Thompson, a manager, gave his enthusiastic opinion.

“Oh, beautiful. The colors are absolutely gorgeous. The dance is unbelievable. Precise, very talented. Choreography, excellent. I always wanted to come. And finally, we made it, and I brought my two kids. Really, really nice show,” he said.

“It’s amazing,” Mrs. Thompson, who works in government, said. “I think the precision is [incredible].”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s divinely inspired traditional culture of 5,000 years and bring to the world its stories, legends, and arts through dance and music.

“It shows that what I’ve learned from watching the first part of the show is that they do have a strong faith in their freedom and their religion,” Mr. Thompson said. The production shows how the performers are “free to express themselves and push back against tyranny. I really like that part of it.”

Mike and Tara Miranda appreciated the skill and energy of Shen Yun’s dancers. Mr. Miranda, who owns an insurance business, said, “It’s very well put together. Very skilled dancers, very skilled actors; very well done. Very athletic, full of energy.”

Mrs. Miranda, a homemaker, said, “Yes. And the [story] where they were persecuted for their religion—it just brings [to mind] how fortunate we are to live in America.  So I really enjoy it. They’re doing a great job.”

Mr. Miranda was pleased to be made aware of China’s rich culture. “[It’s a] very rich culture and I think it’s surprising: there’s not a lot of people in the United States that probably understand what Chinese culture is about and where it came from,” he said.

“This is a great insight,” Mrs. Miranda said. “All the different areas you’re getting to see, all the different areas of China and how their culture has changed” was surprising.

“The costumes are very pretty. I love how colorful they are. They catch your eye while they’re moving, and the sleeves are fun. The water sleeves. You can see how pretty they are. You can see their movements and how fluid they are,” she said.

Mr. Miranda agreed. “I think the one that drew my attention the most is probably the water dancing, with the water sleeves, the long sleeves.”

Shen Yun’s production, especially Shen Yun’s patented animated backdrop, delighted Mrs. Miranda.

“I like how they incorporate the screen into their play. They can only do so much with the stage, and the screen really just brings out the whole story,” she said.

Asked if they would recommend Shen Yun to others, Mrs. Miranda said, “Oh, yes, yes. It’s great to see other cultures and America’s a huge, huge melting pot of everybody. Especially in Oklahoma, we don’t get to see all the different cultures, and it’s great to get to see it.”

“Very educational,” Mr. Miranda said. “You can learn a lot from other cultures. I really appreciate it.”