THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.—Ashley Lewis, a retired actress, enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts so much when she saw it on a previous occasion that when it played at the Fred Cavil Theatre in Thousand Oaks, California, on the evening of May, 25, she brought two of her friends.

New York-based Shen Yun is a traditional Chinese dance and music company that is reviving the authentic Chinese culture that has been all but destroyed under the Chinese communist regime. 

Spirituality was very important in ancient China and society believed that the arts and moral values were passed down to humankind from heavenly beings. Shen Yun’s dances portray the teachings that emanated from the traditional Chinese religions of Buddhism and Taoism.

“I think [spiritual values are] very important. We have to have that in our life, in our world. Look what happens when we don’t. I thought it was beautifully done and communicated … how important the spiritual and traditional values are,” Ms. Lewis said.

“[Shen Yun] is so inspirational. It inspires you to read more, to think more, to appreciate the beauty and the grace and the harmony, and [it] really is amazing. We need to support anything that’s this beautiful and this wonderful.”

Ms. Lewis was impressed with the precision and synchronization of the dancers’ performance as well as other elements: “I love the production design. It’s really fabulous. And I think this story is great.

“I wanted to make sure that we support [Shen Yun] as much as we can. It’s very important,” she said.

Ms. Lewis explained why it was important to support Shen Yun:  “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.”  

Shen Yun’s dances are vivid portrayals of ethnic dances from regions across China, with scenes from everyday life under China’s dynasties, and telling cherished stories from the past.

Ms. Lewis was entranced by the dance “Plum Blossom in Spring” where the blossoms bravely confront the change of seasons. “It was just visually so beautiful,” she said, complimenting the professionalism and beauty of the dancers.  

“I think [Shen Yun] is inspirational. It inspires you to be good, to do good, and to appreciate the good and the beauty,” she said. Ms. Lewis studied dance formerly and recognized the exceptional training that the dancers underwent.

Ms. Lewis’s friend Heidi Bernard was also amazed by Shen Yun. “I thought it was wonderful. I thought it was very visually appealing.” Ms. Bernard is a fundraiser for Pepperdine University.

The stories depicted from both China’s past and present were very timely, she said.

The dance “Water Sleeves” which portrays the elegant ladies from the imperial court, and the dance “Monkeying Around in Paradise,” a comedy from the Chinese classic novel “A Journey to the West,” were pieces that Ms. Bernard enjoyed greatly.

She also appreciated the courage of the performers. “I think it was very brave that they portrayed [the persecution of Falun Dafa],”  she said.

The persecution of the spiritual practice of Falun Dafa, a meditational practice from the Buddhist tradition, has been carried out by the communist regime for over two decades.

“I know from my friend Ashley what [Falun Dafa practitioners] have gone through in their own country, and to keep telling that story through this visually ... beautiful dance, I think is very admirable.”

Reporting by Alice Sun and Diane Cordemans.