ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Jan Brandrup, founder and CEO of Hyperikon Inc., was among those who attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ first show at the California Center for the Arts, Wednesday, Feb. 26.

“I think the show is spectacular,” said Mr. Brandrup.

Started in 2006, New York-based Shen Yun is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to life through music and dance. Currently with four companies touring simultaneously around the world, Shen Yun has quickly gone on to establish itself as a global phenomenon.

Mr. Brandrup was particularly impressed with the show’s music.

“It’s a fantastic idea,” he said, referring to the Shen Yun’s combination of traditional Chinese music and Western instruments.

According to the Shen Yun website, the show’s orchestra blends these two systems to create a uniquely harmonious sound. The website elaborates by saying, “A Western philharmonic orchestra plays the foundation, while traditional Chinese instruments lead the melodies. The sound produced is uniquely pleasing to the ear. The ensemble at once expresses both the grandeur of a Western orchestra and the distinct sensibilities of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization.”

Mr. Brandrup also enjoyed the dancing and stage aspects of the show.

“The colors make you happy. And of course, the dancers are also great,” he explained. “They are very … super fit, and very nice.”

As stated on the website, “Shen Yun and its mission have drawn top talent from around the world; many artists are winners of international competitions in dance, choreography, and music.”

The night’s performance by Shen Yun’s New York Company was clearly a success, in Mr. Brandrup’s opinion.

“We actually recommended it already,” Mr. Brandrup added. “We told our friends that we are going here [to Shen Yun].”

Having already become aware of the show’s enormous popularity in past years, many of Mr. Brandrup’s friends, he explained, were already jealous, and eager to hear about the night’s highlights.

Reporting by Jane Lin and Morgan Bradley

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.