“It was fantastic,” said Ms. Cloutier. “I can’t believe the beauty and athleticism.”

“I loved it,” said Mr. Mundell. “I love the overall visual style, all the colors, and how everything moves in coordination, the fluid and asceticism. It’s just beautiful and beautifully well done.”

“I love the way that sounded, and combined with [the] piano, I think that’s beautiful. I loved that one,” he said.

“It’s very ethereal,” said Mr. Mundell, attempting to describe what he felt when he listened to the unique instrument.

“It’s nice to be out of real life, somewhere else in a different time and place. You got the feeling of finally leaving the real world and out to someplace that’s magical. Something you don’t normally have the opportunity to experience, something you can normally imagine, then get a visual of it in real life. So it’s like a connection, something imaginary and real at the same time.”

“[It] definitely is a gift from heaven,” she said. “Especially in the world we are living in now. It’s just very helpful. Watching the performers and how athletic they are but graceful at the same time—it’s just amazing. The idea of hope, you know, this gift of Hope is very inspiring.”

“I’m fascinated by that the culture has lasted this long,” she added. “There is such a devotion to keeping the culture alive, a culture that so many of you have fought for. I think that’s beautiful. I think the whole world should do more of that.”

Ms. Cloutier said that she enjoyed Shen Yun’s performance so much that she was eager to see it again—in the next city where Shen Yun will be performing.

“I would encourage any American to come and see, to learn about this beautiful culture in China,” she said. “Every time you see it … something could strike you and [to] say ‘oh, I can read a relate to that.’”