Umberto Lay, architect, pastor, and former congressman, enjoyed the first performance of New York-based Shen Yun on Feb. 8 and left inspired.

“It touches you, the beauty, the aesthetics, it really touches you,” Lay said. “Really impressive perfection. The choreography, the message they convey. It really is an ancient art that has been updated. It doesn’t look old-fashioned, on the contrary, very up-to-date, combined with modern technology. All that makes it a show that is unparalleled.”

He felt one key theme of the performance was a reminder “to return to spirituality.”

“It’s very necessary in the modern world, or the post-modern world we are living in, where the only thing that is worthwhile is the present, to live in the moment, no values, no ideals,” Lay said. “I believe that this message [of Shen Yun] is very relevant to the current situation of mankind.”

“The appeal or word of encouragement to return to spirituality is very, very important. I think everyone will understand it in their own way, but I think it is very important to get out of the material, out of this materialistic humanism that we live in, and to recognize again that we are matter, but also a spiritual part, which is the most important thing,” Lay said.

“[Spirituality] has an effect on behavior, based on values. I think it is very important. It’s something that has been lost tremendously in recent times,” Lay added.

Lay wanted to encourage Shen Yun in return, urging them to persist in “defending this tradition that is ancient, but with values.”

“I think it’s important as a message to the new generations that have been born in a world that has lost its values, its ideals. I think the work they’re doing is very important,” he said.