SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—The last time Laura Iliff, the owner of a construction company, and her daughter Lauren attended Shen Yun Performing Arts was before the pandemic. They loved that experience.

This year, when they saw that Shen Yun is at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo, the duo jumped at the chance to see it again.

“You get to see so much of the culture from both a geographic and a historical perspective. It’s so well done.”

“The live music, that full orchestra, was such a treat. We used to have that a lot in the 70s and even the 80s, but now to hear a live orchestra is almost unheard of,” she added. “It was an extra blessing to get to hear all that live music in addition to the dancing.”

According to its website, Shen Yun’s orchestra is the first in the world to permanently combine classical Chinese and Western instruments.

“[The performance] was very uplifting, and it makes you want to be a better person. It makes me want to have that same blessing for all of humanity.”

She is very impressed by the Shen Yun artists’ hard work, dedication, and courage to present their message to the world.

“To have eight companies traveling the whole world and to be able to share with everyone their beliefs, their art, their gifts, and their perspective—I would like to thank them for that.”