PHILADELPHIA—Shen Yun Performing Arts gave its first of four performances at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia on April 25. 

Brian and Alexandra Steimel attended the performance.

“I thought it was great, it was beautiful,” said Ms. Steimel, an art appraiser. “The dance was just awesome.”

Shen Yun was founded in 2006 in New York with the mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Since its inception the company has performed for millions of people around the world.

At the core of Shen Yun’s performances is classical Chinese dance. The company consists of extraordinary talent from around the world, many of whom are award-winning classical Chinese dancers.

“Their dancers were right on point all the time. It was very fluid,” said Ms. Steimel.

Mr. Steimel, a software analyst, said he was particularly struck by the costumes used in the performance. 

“The costumes were fantastic,” he said. Ms. Steimel agreed.

Every Shen Yun performance features hundreds of costumes, each presented with brilliant colors. 

Each of Shen Yun’s performances is accompanied by a full-scale orchestra, which Ms. Steimel found “fantastic.” 

Shen Yun’s orchestra consists of a Western philharmonic orchestra as the base, while traditional Chinese instruments play the lead melody. The orchestra is unique in the world in that it seamlessly blends the musical systems of the East and West, creating a new, fresh, and harmonious sound.

Reporting by Tony Dang and Jasper Fakkert

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.