“The show was spectacular. I’m so glad that we’re in the front row. Our children bought us this as a gift for Christmas. So, we’ve been waiting, waiting for this moment. It’s just literally astounding,” Mr. Willis said.

“To sit in the front row and see the performers and the musicians—I can’t imagine sitting anywhere else in the house because you can see their facial expressions and the passion. Seeing [that] tells even more of the story and makes it more up close and personal. It’s just all perfection.”

However, due to the artists’ insistence on raising awareness of the ongoing human rights issues in present-day Chinese society, the company is banned from performing in China.

For Mr. Willis, this is heartbreaking.

Mrs. Willis, too, loved Shen Yun’s mission and agreed that “we should keep all that tradition alive [because] it’s very good for the next generation to know.”

She was also very impressed by the dancers’ skill and talent.

“We loved the way they’re walking on air—when they’re moving in the dance, it’s so fluid. Very, very beautiful,” she added.

“My profession is with the church and a youth group that does performing arts. I’m so impressed with the effortlessness of each [Shen Yun] performer. The exertion they’re using to dance—but they look like they’re not even breathless. That’s amazing.”

Every year, the company can be expected to delight its worldwide audience with a brand-new set of original choreography and musical compositions.

Moreover, Mr. Willis found Shen Yun’s depiction of spirituality and divinity very inspiring.

“It inspires you to know that there’s something greater than all of us just here. There has to be,” he said.

“We’re all connected—red, yellow, black, and white—because of that divine being. That’s beautiful. You can feel the inspiration. It’s palpable.”