BERKELEY, Calif.—“They’re in a league of their own,” said inventor and company owner Dennis Dorando when he saw Shen Yun Performing Arts.

“I think it’s one of the greatest shows I’ve seen. The colors are just amazing. I’m just so impressed,” he said.

Dorando attended a performance by Shen Yun, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, in Berkeley, California, at Zellerbach Hall on Dec. 15.

New York-based Shen Yun travels the world every year with an all-new program of dance pieces accompanied by a live orchestra, with the goal of reviving ancient Chinese culture. The dancers’ brilliantly-colored handmade costumes, combined with flowing choreography, create unique visual effects.

“I think you see a lot of professional dancers on TV, but they don’t compare [to] this. And the colors … they explode on stage. Beautiful,” Dorando said.

Shen Yun dancers sometimes use long, flowing sleeves or props such as fans, adding more color and visual beauty to their movements. In addition, Shen Yun’s state-of-the-art digital backdrop portrays landscapes of China and scenes of heavenly paradises, complementing the dance pieces.

What impressed Dorando most was “the ease [with] which the dancers move and make it look, effortlessly.”

Besides the beauty of Shen Yun, he was also interested in the history he learned from the performance. Many Shen Yun dances tell stories from ancient or modern China, expressing traditional values such as benevolence and faith in the divine. In modern China, however, the communist regime has spent several decades trying to destroy traditional Chinese culture.

“I think it’s unfortunate that the Chinese government does not embrace the philosophy that’s being presented here,” Dorando said.

Since Shen Yun presents this traditional culture to audiences, the regime’s oppression and censorship means Shen Yun is not allowed to perform in China.

“I find it kind of surprising that it’s not being played in China. I think we should open up our worlds to embrace such beauty,” Dorando said.