BALTIMORE—As a travel writer for more than a decade, Karl Teel has been to many parts of the world. But watching Shen Yun Performing Arts was unlike any other experience he’s had.

Mr. Teel, who brought a good friend with him to watch the Feb. 9 performance at the Hippodrome Theatre, said he had wanted to view the performance at a more intimate venue, after having seen Shen Yun perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. last year.

His love for Shen Yun’s artistry remained unchanged. “I love the celebration of the human spirit. It’s something that all cultures share in common. While things may be different in different continents and lands, the human spirit and that inner drive is a common thread we all have,” he said.

Shen Yun seeks to showcase the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through music and dance. The ancient legends and modern-day tales that Shen Yun portrays often elicit strong emotions in the audience, including Mr. Teel.

“Shen Yun has a way of illustrating that [human spirit] and bringing it not just visually, but penetrating into the soul of the people watching it, to really have a wonderful and moving experience of the arts,” Mr. Teel said.

As the author of over 300 travel stories and the publisher of Recreation News, one of the country’s largest monthly travel and leisure newspapers, Mr. Teel has seen many beautiful destinations throughout his career. Shen Yun’s stunning scenery backdrops reminded him “of the beauty in the world, and how everywhere, no matter how different, has beauty in it,” he said.

The backdrops often depict ancient China’s idyllic landscapes, or heavenly scenes from above. “Once again, it shows the human spirit integrating into the rest of nature,” Mr. Teel observed.

‘It’s just magical’

Patricia Bramlet, who was also in the audience Tuesday evening, was similarly entranced by the performance. Ms. Bramlet, who works in health care compliance, said viewing the performance was like traveling through time. “It’s just magical,” she said.

She was especially moved by the messages conveyed in Shen Yun’s performance, which was “to separate yourself from the everyday things, and get to the basics of what’s good, and what we should be doing,” Ms. Bramlet said.

Ms. Bramlet expressed that she was amazed when she learned that Shen Yun artists practice meditation and seek artistic inspiration through improving themselves spiritually.

For her the message was “to be good.”

Reporting by NTD Television and Annie Wu

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.