NEW YORK—New York Times bestselling author Doris Mortman attended Shen Yun Performing Arts with her granddaughter at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater on Jan. 12.

Ms. Mortman is the author of several novels, including The Wild Rose and bestseller Circles. She was impressed by Shen Yun’s stories of ancient and modern China told through classical Chinese dance and music, calling the performance “lovely” and “wonderful.”

“As a writer, I like stories, and I like the fact that the dance tells a story and they do it very beautifully. All of the costuming, all of the movements, the expressions are all there to tell a story,” Ms. Mortman said.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts’ mission is to bring to life 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, which was nearly lost under communist rule. The performance features world-class dancers, a live orchestra, and a stunning digital backdrop that is coordinated with the dancers’ colorful costumes.

“I think the costumes and the music were beautiful,” said Ms. Mortman. She noted the way Shen Yun combines the costumes with dance techniques that involve many flips, spins, leaps, and other skillful athletic moves.

“I love the precision. It´s so precise and everyone is so keyed to everything else,” said Ms. Mortman.

In addition to ancient legends and myths, Shen Yun presents stories from contemporary China. Ms. Mortman said that if she hadn’t attended Shen Yun, she likely would never have known these things about Chinese culture.

She commented on the dances about the oppression of traditional spiritual beliefs under today’s communist regime.

“I think that [Shen Yun] presents a much more peaceful image of China than China’s politics do,” she said. “I think this is a way of saying that’s not all there is to China. ... I think when you have things like this, it opens people’s eyes to the sense that there is more and that there is better.”

“In America, we try to have our culture and export it to the world so that they can see another side of us,” said Ms. Mortman. “I think this does this for China.”

Reporting by Gloria Gao and Sally Appert.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts. 

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.