BALTIMORE—Vernene Rodgers Lenz, a professional musician who has lived in Asia, saw Shen Yun for the first time at the Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric on Jan. 17.

“I think that the piano player is excellent, and I am enjoying hearing the orchestra,” said Mrs. Rodgers Lenz. But the music was not the only feature of the performance that pleased her.

“I think the costumes are absolutely gorgeous and the dancing is lovely,” she said.

According to the Shen Yun website, the “traditional Chinese clothing was serious business. The right clothes gave off an aura of refinement and dignity. It embodied the virtues of Chinese antiquity, and contributed to the culture’s perception of self.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive authentic Chinese culture.

Mrs. Rodgers Lenz said that in that regard, the artists are succeeding: “I think that they are doing a really good job of trying to portray the culture and the history of China from 5,000 years ago to present.”

Mrs. Rodgers Lenz, director of music at the Epiphany Lutheran Church, is an accomplished woman as well as a civic leader. She started a long-running and beloved annual Halloween party when she was president of the Glyndon Community Association in Maryland. She is also an organist.

“I am a music director at the second largest Lutheran church in Baltimore, and I have worked in the field of psychology,” she said. “I have worked in the travel industry, and I worked in Korea for a while with a professional job.”

Mrs. Rodgers Lenz concluded by highlighting her enjoyment of the unique digital backdrops, which interact with the dancers: “I like the lighting and how they have used that to help portray the story.”

Reporting by NTD Television.

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.