NEW ORLEANS—“Dazzling, really. I can’t imagine anybody who wouldn’t enjoy this,” said Zachary Walker after experiencing Shen Yun Performing Arts at New Orleans’ Saenger Theater, Feb. 18. “Really, I love this.”

Since 2006, the New York-based Shen Yun has toured the globe, delivering to people around the world China’s divinely inspired culture, a culture nearly destroyed after 60 years of communist rule. “Shen Yun is bringing back this glorious culture,” according to the company’s website.

Mr. Walker, who retired after years of public relations work in Chicago, compared the performers to today’s most talented, world-class athletes. “Olympians, I mean they are razor sharp,” he said. “And it doesn’t matter which [dancer] you’re looking at—there is precision; astonishing.”

Through music and dance, Shen Yun “weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture,” reads the company’s website.

Mr. Walker, who was highly impressed by Shen Yun’s animated digital backdrops and the stunning scenes they depicted on the stage, said other performance companies should adopt Shen Yun’s backdrops.

“It’s really technically audacious, really really interesting,” he said.

The backdrops serve to complement all aspects of the performance, from the characters, to the costumes, to the props.

“The backdrop, the visual thing—more opera companies and theater companies should do that. It’s dazzling; it’s technical,” Mr. Walker said.

Reporting by Mary Silver and Michael Fitzgerald

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.