However, after experiencing the matinee firsthand, Mr. Schlecht was more than glad he made the trip.

“This was beautiful, very beautiful. The show was absolutely phenomenal,” he exclaimed.

“It was mystical, magical, just so beautiful. I was fascinated with how beautiful they were up there—the dances and the choreography. They were all just beautiful.”

Mr. Schlecht was moved by the performers’ commitment and this much-needed mission worldwide.

“It’s very important, it’s important in the United States, too, that we give back to tradition. Tradition should also bring peace among all of us. So, very impressed. Very impressed,” he affirmed.

This was not new information for Mr. Schlecht, who had read extensively about the ongoing human rights issues in China and how the influence of the communist regime is reaching into the West.

“The rest of us don’t believe it. We know what [Shen Yun] stands for, and we’re very grateful.”

Among the performance’s diverse array of programs, Mr. Schlecht particularly enjoyed the ethnic Mongolian dance by the female dancers. He loved the choreography and thought the “costumes were spectacular, the colors were so beautiful, and they did a great job.”

“I think we all enjoyed the lady on the two-stringed [instrument.] The instrument was so beautiful and so mystic, and it was spectacular. We loved it,” he said.

Last but not least, he would like to extend his heartfelt compliments to the performers.

“All the dancers in sync up there—you could tell the hard work they put in to make this beautiful for the audience,” he said. “I’m so very grateful they conveyed that [beauty] to the audience as well as they did.”