SAN JOSE, Calif.—The story of creation is believed by many around the world, and Shen Yun Performing Arts is using dance and music to bring the legend to life.

“I believe in creation. I do not believe that things just evolved out of nothing. That’s my perspective,” said Rick Roberts, a director of engineering.

Roberts found Shen Yun’s portrayal of China before communism to be thought-provoking.

“My feeling is at least [Shen Yun] causes people to think about something that maybe they hadn’t thought about before,” he said.

“[Shen Yun is] not permitted because of the Communist Party. So I think this is good exposure for the general masses in the U.S. to understand,” said Roberts.

Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, a dance form that has thousands of years of history.

“Awesome job. They did really impressive work. And I would say keep it up and do more shows,” said Roberts.

Each of Shen Yun’s dances is either classical Chinese dance, folk dance, or a dance story. Each dance is accompanied by unique music and an animated backdrop.

Roberts stated that this was his first time seeing Shen Yun, although it certainly won’t be his last. He described Shen Yun as “a must-see.”

Bethany Masten was also at the evening performance, and it was her second time seeing Shen Yun.

“Honestly, I thought it was even better than the first time I saw it. Very beautiful,” she said, adding that she appreciated “the traditional Chinese dances, the women, and the men’s because they were so incredible.”

“I really enjoyed it, and I’m so happy I got to go,” said Masten, who was previously a dancer.

Masten was very pleased with Shen Yun’s two Masters of Ceremony. “They were funny. I enjoyed them,” she said.

The erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument with two strings. It is known for its human-like timber and its expressive qualities.

“It was incredible. And I thought the music was phenomenal. I love that instrument,” said Masten.