Capatti, formerly a music professor at a conservatory of music in Brazil, said he paid particular attention to the dancing, and how it compared to Western ballet as he had also previously been a dancer.

“I find some differences in between the Chinese traditional [dance], and occidental ballet—like the foot[work],” he said.

“It’s very beautiful. The hands, and the arms, and everything is a little bit different, so I loved it very much.”

Capatti was also able to pick up on another element of the dance, a deeper meaning revealed behind the movements.

“I felt much more of the spiritual side of the dance, than the technique,” he said, adding that while he appreciated the outstanding technique he was uplifted by the spirit he felt from the dancers.

As to what exactly he perceived, Capatti said there was something transcendental about the dance.

“It’s difficult to say but I like the fact that it was in two different worlds, the earth and the celestial world,” Capatti said. “And there could be this communication in between the two worlds, and I felt that like ... it’s very comforting to know.”

Classical Chinese dance is an ancient art form that not only has a comprehensive set of movements and expressions, but also involves a metaphysical component known as yun or bearing. This element focuses on the dancers being able to transmit their inner world through their external expressions. Thus, many Shen Yun dancers focus on improving their moral quality to ensure they communicate a positive and uplifting feeling on stage.

The pianist also appreciated the music by Shen Yun’s live orchestra, which is composed of both classical Eastern and Western instruments.

Besides enjoying hearing the oriental sounds lead the melody on top of a classical Western orchestra, the musician also particularly liked the erhu player and vocal soloist. The erhu is a two-stringed Chinese instrument that is able to convey a range of tones said to reflect wide array of feelings.

The lyrics of the song sung by the vocalist delved into belief in the divine, and also made reference to the Creator, which stems from an ancient Chinese belief that the Creator would one day descend to Earth to save humankind.

Speaking of the reference, the pianist said, “I loved it very much.”