SAN FRANCISCO—Dancer Ariel Krizack saw classical Chinese dance for the first time Sunday afternoon, and said she was glad it was through the grandeur of Shen Yun Performing Arts, at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, Jan. 12.

“The movements are subtle yet very expressive, and I think that each segment tells a nice story in the subtleties of the movements,” Ms. Krizack said.

Classical Chinese dance is a vast and independent system of dance with three main components: form, technique, and bearing. Through traditional Chinese dance, music blending East and West, an animated backdrop, and hundreds of costume pieces, New York-based Shen Yun brings 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to life.

Ms. Krizack was taken by the costumes worn by Shen Yun dancers and the way they were used.

According to Shen Yun’s website, “Every costume in a Shen Yun performance is presented with brilliant colors, displaying a splendid spectacle.” Imperial dragon robes, warriors’ armor, and clothing like the ethnic attire of the Manchurian, Tibetan, and Mongolian groups grace the stage and give the audience a sense of authentic traditional Chinese attire. Many dances also include props, such as long silk ribbons in rainbow hues, which enhance a dancer’s ability for expression.

“The costumes are really beautiful, and the way they move in them,” Ms. Krizack said.

The artistry of the production had been a marvel for Ms. Ginny Glover as well, who attended the performance on Sunday with Mr. Bruce MacBoy.

“It’s gorgeous, just gorgeous,” said Ms. Glover, a retired commercial interior designer who worked on spaces like the Boalt Law School and the Chancellor’s Office at UC Berkeley.

“The technical part of having people disappear into the back and go up is just phenomenal,” Ms. Glover said of Shen Yun’s animated backdrop. “And the choreography is just amazing. Really amazing.”

Watching the performance, Ms. Glover and Mr. MacBoy were impressed with the grace of the dancers’ movements, and the beauty of the performance.

Ms. Glover said she felt inspired of what was possible in the world watching Shen Yun.

“What a person can create and do and be,” Ms. Glover said. “The magic, I guess, it takes you into that. Just really inspiring.”

Reporting by Gary Wang and Catherine Yang

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.