MESA, Ariz.—The culture present in China today is night to the day that traditional Chinese culture once was. Andrew Ballard applauded Shen Yun Performing Arts for its efforts to address the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) crimes in a peaceful manner.

“I think it’s a very brave effort. I’m sure that they received tremendous pressure from the Chinese government. Even in New York, I’m sure they received pressure here, even in the United States,” Mr. Ballard, a dentist, said.

Mr. Ballard had visited China before and he noted that while in China, he only saw what the regime allowed him to see.

“I visited once or twice but there’s a part of China that we don’t see, because everything in China is very curated. ... We only are allowed to see what they want us to see,” he said.

Shen Yun is based in New York and its mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. The company tells the story of those who face persecution in China for their belief.

“This is a nice eye-opener into what’s going on in China with more religious persecution as well. Understanding that there’s a whole group of people there that are longing for something different, something more spiritual, and that they’re seeking to find that, and they’re spreading that here through music and dance,” said Mr. Ballard.

China was once known as the land of the divine. The CCP almost completely destroyed China’s traditional culture. However, Shen Yun is helping to keep it alive outside of China.

“We all have a philosophy of life, and I think most people, whether they believe it or not, even in China, are religious. So there’s a spiritual longing among all people, and I think that there will come a time when China will awaken, and as a nation, and want to return to a more spiritual self, a more spiritual identity,” Mr. Ballard said.