BERGAMO, Italy—Daniel Panaiotti and Luba Dergunova attended a Shen Yun Performing Arts show at the Teatro Donizetti on April 5.

Panaiotti, a tennis coach who runs his own tennis academy, said why he wanted to see Shen Yun: “We came because we wanted to see such a show, especially for the costumes, the music, and the dances. I see that the [dancers] are very trained athletes.”

Dergunova was especially interested in the costumes: “I liked it very much, especially for the costumes. I was a costume designer and so, for me, that’s what interests me,” she said. “And also for dance because I’m of Russian origin, and I know Russian ballet.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Panaiotti agreed that keeping traditions alive is important: “This is important, isn’t it? Because traditions are fundamental anyway. And so you have to rightly maintain them.

“In my opinion, you can see that in the world now values are being lost, right? And so trying to bring back values is important, right? Communication as a culture is important, and values have been lost somewhat.”

About the values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance displayed in one of the acts, Panaiotti said: “So let’s say that tolerance is fundamental, for all cultures, for all people, and compassion rightly is a value that is important to preserve. Truth is something that, even I, who live in a Western world, notice that the truth has been lost.”

To the performers, Panaiotti said: “Congratulations! They are very good!  Thank you very much. Thank you.”