SYDNEY, Australia—Michelle Byrne, the former mayor of the Hills Shire Council, came to the Capitol Theatre on the evening of March 15 to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time and did not know what to expect.

“I love all of it, from the beginning to the end,” Ms. Byrne said.

“I was blown away by the talent, the creativity, the colours, the movement of the performers, and the little stories that went along.

“I love every minute of it. It’s fantastic.”

“I like the fact that it’s all about kindness and that if we’re kind to each other, we can make the world a better place, and the fact that we’re all spiritual creatures on a journey trying to make it back home,” she said.

“I really love the values that were coming through the performance, and what I love most about it is the fact that we all need to live in kindness with each other.”

According to Shen Yun’s website, traditional Chinese culture is deeply rooted in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism and encompasses principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution.

“I think it’s really challenging audiences around the globe, and it’s really challenging the world to be a nicer place for each other,” she said.

“I was really blown away and impressed by the cast, the talent of the musicians, and everyone involved.

“What you’ve done here is just absolutely mind-blowing, and I can’t wait to see it again, and again, again, and then next year.”

Over the years, the communist regime has tried to sabotage and prevent Shen Yun from performing because many Shen Yun artists practice the spiritual mediation discipline of Falun Gong, which is subject to persecution in China.

“The fact that it can’t be performed in China is sad, but I think it’s important that it’s performed around the world so the rest of the world can see what’s going on,” she said.

According to Shen Yun, classical Chinese dance has many different techniques, including footwork and hand and body movements that are not seen in ballet.

Costa was impressed by a folk dance performance titled “Yellow Blossoms,” where the dancers used fans and their hands to mimic the movement of the flower petals.

“I really like the way that they move their hands and the fans and all of that. It’s kind of magical,” she said.

“I know that sometimes it’s a bit hard to coordinate how you move your hands and your arms together with the fan.”