DETROIT—On the afternoon of Feb 8, 2014, Shen Yun Performing Arts’ third show at the Detroit Opera House in Detroit attracted many mainland Chinese students studying abroad in surrounding cities. Rui Ke, a Chinese student who had come to America less than six months ago, and his Chinese classmates braved the bitter cold and drove over 90 miles to see Shen Yun.

After the show, Rui Ke said, “The performance was really amazing. I especially liked the colors and the costumes. It was as enchanting as a dream. For a moment, I felt that the female dancers indeed looked very beautiful like fairies.”

Rui Ke greatly respects Falun Gong practitioners for adhering to their beliefs despite the persecution. He said, “I definitely sympathize with those Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China. This is a very serious issue. In addition, I want to send my highest respect to them because they are telling the truth to the whole world. This [tribute] is from the bottom of my heart. [The performance] was highly distinguished.”

Rui Ke believes that Shen Yun can enhance a Chinese person’s status in the overseas’s community. He said, “You know, when I first came to America, I felt that when Americans saw Chinese people, they would think about something for a moment. I always wondered, ‘What are they thinking?’ Later, I discovered that they wanted to learn more about Chinese people in order to decide what kind of person he was and what kind of situation he was in. But I think this show can significantly improve our position in society. I really think so because this show stunned them. I think they could truly understand and look at the Chinese people from a different perspective.”

Rui Ke also greatly admires Shen Yun’s feat of touring the world. He said, “This is a great, great mission. It is not easy. Because I am studying finance. I know that all these calculations, like deciding the budget and planning the schedule, are very difficult to do well. I admire [Shen Yun].”

Rui Ke expressed that he had heard of Shen Yun’s reputation and had been meaning to come see Shen Yun for a while. In the end, he said, “I had heard of [Shen Yun] in China. Shen Yun’s great reputation attracted me, so even though I had to drive over 90 miles, I still had to come see the show.”

With reporting by Irene Luo

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

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.