NEW YORK—Interior designer Nyla Khan and artisan Shama Thariani were both awed by the colorful costumes and digital backdrop at Shen Yun Performing Arts on Thursday.

“The colors were phenomenal,” Ms. Khan said. “It was absolutely beautiful. All the colors were fabulous.”

“It takes you into an art world,” she said after the performance at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.

The New York-based company revives 5,000 years of Chinese culture, including the attire of the varied dynasties and diverse ethnic groups. Story-based dances bring legends and historical events to the stage.

The Shen Yun website explains the profound nature of the costumes: “The ancients believed that celestial paradises have immortals who reincarnate as humans on earth during different periods.

“Some became the emperors and officials of various dynasties, shaping the land and its culture. They brought with them divine gifts to mankind—the wisdom of sages, skills, and inventions that allowed dynasties to prosper. Among these divine gifts was celestial garb.”

From the heavens to the royal courts to the countryside, Shen Yun’s digital backdrop opens the stage to expansive scenes that bring the audience on a colorful tour of ancient China.

“It was absolutely amazing. It was awesome, mesmerizing,” Ms. Thariani said. It was her second time seeing Shen Yun. The company presents an entirely new program every year. It was Ms. Khan’s first time, but she said she will be back next year.

Reporting by NTD Television and Tara MacIsaac

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.