Among the audience was Christine Lienhard, the president of the charitable foundation Lebensfreude (Zest for Life). Lienhard has not missed a Shen Yun performance since she first saw it several years ago.

This year before leaving the Zurich’s Theater 11, Lienhard said “Every time I see Shen Yun, I am impressed, surprised, and captivated.”

While watching the dance performances she felt “an enormous energy surrounding her” and said she thought that the same was happening for others in the audience.

“Yet, I did not feel any pressure, but an airiness and buoyancy. Everything was perfect and complemented each other—the costumes, the movements, the colors—in short, I was touched,” Lienhard said.

She was amazed watching Shen Yun, saying, “Watching Shen Yun was incredible—the talent I saw performing on stage, and the passion I felt are difficult to express in plain language. I just can say that it was a gift to the audience.”

Haschke described her astounding experience learning about traditional Chinese culture.

“The bravery of the performers, it was fascinating. They brought to the world China’s history, a history that helped shape the world as it is today. I’m touched that we are able to get a feel for this part of our past.”

This semi-divine culture that was a foundation of ancient Chinese society now inspires thousands upon thousands of audience members everywhere Shen Yun has performed. Haschke, too, felt the spirituality inherent in the performance.

“I’m inspired by the spirituality that emanated throughout the entire show. I wonder if we came from another planetary system and were sent to populate other worlds,” Haschke mused.

Each year brings a new dance program, a live orchestra blending Chinese instruments into a Western symphony, and the digital backdrop blending the stage with other worlds—immersing the audience in the authentic Chinese culture.

“The performance was outstanding,” said Bernstein. “The choreography and the costumes gave the entire show that nuance that made it exceptional.”

Bernstein felt the performance spoke to her. “I felt close to what I saw on stage. It was as if I was visiting China.”

“One is seldom exposed to such an elegance shown by these artists. The music gave it a calmness that is rarely felt in a performance. It truly is difficult to put everything into words until one has let it sink in for some time,” Bernstein said.

Chinese music focuses on expressing inner feelings through individual instruments, whereas Western music emphasizes the overall effect of a musical ensemble. By combining these two styles, Shen Yun’s orchestra creates a refreshingly distinct yet harmonious sound.

The music was of such deepness, “that it was stirring and heart warming. I was close to tears,” she said.