BOSTON—After seeing Shen Yun for the first time, Peter and Lynn were surprised and dismayed by the fact that such a performance cannot be seen in China.

“We’re fortunate that we get to see it here,” said Lynn, who works in hospitality. She and her husband Peter saw the classical Chinese dance company for the first time and learned that Shen Yun is based in New York. Because the performance portrays spiritual adherents who are persecuted by the communist regime, Shen Yun is not allowed in Mainland China.

The couple saw the April 8 performance in Boston.

Through dance and live music, Shen Yun showcases legends and stories from ancient China to the present day.

“The show was beautiful. The performance was excellent. The dancers are beautiful,” Peter said.

“The live orchestra was totally in sync with the music,” Lynn said. “I really loved when the screen came alive with the characters,” referring to the patented digital backdrop that seems to interact with the dancers onstage.

Overall, the couple felt optimistic after the performance. Lynn came away with a feeling of freedom. “You feel free with art expression,” she said. “We are still in awe from the show.”

Peter summarized his feelings with the words “peace and harmony.”

“With everything else that’s happening over there on the other side [of the world] that you can’t see, the hardships going on; over here, we take it for granted,” he added.

Pet sitter Emily Maloney and Don Wales, in law enforcement for border control, found the performance eye-opening—not only because they saw classical Chinese dance and China’s various folk dances, but for its mission to raise awareness of religious persecution in China.

“The blend of all the different kinds of dance involved is amazing. I love it. I’ve never seen anything like it,” Ms. Maloney said.

Mr. Wales reflected on the contrast between the ancient spiritual beliefs of China and the modern ideology of atheism in China under communism.

“The vibrant colors [in Shen Yun] are just amazing, and so unassociated with what we think of in China today. You think of grayish, ... not vibrant. Reminds me of when I grew up, there was a lady that would do Tai chi in the park. She would wear these beautiful colors. She would just do that every morning. She was probably from that generation before communism that was able to celebrate life a little bit more, so that part of it was very uplifting.”

“That’s part of the history that, who knows, may one day come back.”

Reporting by Sherry Dong and Yawen Hung.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.