CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Mark Perkins, assistant dean of the College of Education at the University of Wyoming, attended a Shen Yun Performing Arts concert for the first time with his wife Sarah Perkins, a school psychologist in the Cheyenne school district, at the Cheyenne Civic Center on March 14.

“I think it’s fantastic … there’s a lot of synthesis between Chinese culture and [Western] culture … a universal commonality among people and I think this show connects within that,” said Mr. Perkins about the concert.

“My favorite part is how it integrates the computer animation with the dance and also adds some educational value,” he said.

The cutting-edge digital backdrop allows the performers to seamlessly travel back and forth between the stage and the background, giving the audience a more interactive experience of the ancient wonders of China and even scenes of the heavens.

“I think it’s very valuable to revive traditional culture … all people are essentially looking for their authentic selves and their authentic spiritual connection,” said Mr. Perkins.

“It’s important for people to [likewise] understand the cultural heritage of other cultures,” he added, “so I think it’s good that [Shen Yun] came to Cheyenne to share that with people in Wyoming.”

Mr. Perkins said he particularly appreciated the message in the last performance “about freedom of religion and the conflict with communism.”

In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a persecution campaign against the spiritual practice and adherents have since been subjected to unprecedented imprisonment, torture, and abuse.

“All people should be free to express their own religious beliefs and I would hope that we can come to a place in the world where all people can do that,” he said.

“I think we need to be aware, here in America, of that oppression of others to preserve our own freedom of religion in the United States,” he added.