NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Bill Vogt, a real estate agent, and his wife Mary Vogt, a bookkeeper, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at State Theatre New Jersey on March 29. Mr. Vogt was quick to praise the performers, the live orchestra, and Shen Yun’s patented animated backdrop.

“The dancers were ... amazing, and the orchestra was amazing,” said Mr. Vogt. “The timing of everything ... The technology with the live stuff ... I never saw that at a performance before.”

“I love old traditions,” Mr. Vogt said. He felt it was very unfortunate that Shen Yun was not allowed to perform in today’s China. “I know that China doesn’t like them putting on these shows. ... [It’s] sad, people should ... be free and have [a] choice.”

“I don’t like the way China is today,” Mr. Vogt added. “People don’t have freedom.”

“It was a unique experience,” Mr. Vogt said.

“I think that’s very important because we don’t want to see that spread,” said Mr. Vogt. ‘That’s horrible, some of the stuff. ... We don’t really even know all that goes on.”

“It’s good that they’re spreading some of the messages, some of the stuff that’s going on over there that’s bad, so the rest of the world hears it,” he said.

According to the Shen Yun website, traditional Chinese culture was founded on the spiritual teachings of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, all of which Chinese people had a deep connection to until the beliefs were abolished by the atheist Chinese Communist Party.

Mr. Vogt was impressed by the fact that Shen Yun puts together an all-new program every year, and he said was interested in seeing what the performance will be like next year. Mr. Vogt added that Shen Yun was “something [everyone] should come experience because we’ve never seen anything like it.”