ROCHESTER, N.Y.—How many challenges does one have to overcome in life in order to experience a very special moment? Sometimes, while one may wish to do something, there are countless obstacles to break through.

Kindergarten teacher Kevin Bell had been wanting to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for the past three or four years. Finally, this year, he did it. And he made sure it was special—it was the eve of Chinese New Year and the first date with his girlfriend.

“The fact that it was our first date, and I’ve been wanting to come to this performance for so long and just being able to finally say that I’ve been here, it’s great,” he said on Sunday afternoon at the Rochester Auditorium Theatre.

The performance met his expectations and more. The music especially struck a chord with him.

“The music was phenomenal,” he said. “Everything about it was great.”

In ancient China, people believed that music had the power to heal and harmonize the body. In fact, music was one of the earliest forms of medicine. Shen Yun’s composers and musicians also follow in that belief by presenting music that harmonizes one’s mind and body. They do this with the help of a unique orchestra that brings out the best in Chinese and Western traditions.

Mr. Bell said he could feel that come through the music.

“There’s a certain calmness to it. If I were to meditate, I would definitely meditate to it because it’s got that calmness to it,” he said.

His girlfriend Nikki Campbell also felt the peacefulness throughout the show.

“It was an unspoken understanding. You just felt it and [there was] just a peace in your heart.”

“It was nice to experience and I would definitely come again,” she said of the performance.

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.

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.