Raatjes was floored by the overall experience of New York-based Shen Yun.

“It’s amazing. I haven’t seen anything like this. It’s beautiful,” he said.

Shen Yun’s enchanting and colorful performance gained two new fans in Eric Conklin and Jewell Stone, husband and wife, who described how much they enjoyed it.

“It’s absolutely stunning. The choreography, the costumes are just amazing,” Stone said, who is an engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

“Very much so. The fluidity of the movements is so gentle and flowing. It’s beautiful,” said Conklin, who also works at the GDOT. “Each and every [dance] had it’s own subtle message about the honesty, or the tranquility, or spiritual enlightenment, and others.”

Stone and Conklin pointed to these dances as being particularly touching and memorable.

“I can’t begin to capture it all, the costumes, the movement—each were conveying either the excitement, the highs or lows, or the drama as well as the passion and the angst. For instance, with the communist rule—each movement, the choreography, the dancers the costumes, all brought it very well together and definitely portrayed each and every message. It’s absolutely amazing,” Stone said.

Stone said she absolutely picked up on this aspect of the show, and expounded on it.

“I’m taken along on the journey with the dancers. It’s like they’re bringing you in and along with them as they’re presenting their stories,” Stone said.

“You’re able to feel the transition and the movement with them as they go through the different steps and scenes,” Conklin added.

Stone spoke for the pair when she said that Shen Yun Performing Arts is “absolutely a must-see.”