CHICAGO—Lawyer Forest Lombaer thought it was very interesting that classical Chinese performing artists had to go to New York to practice their art.

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts was formed by a group of leading classical Chinese artists who aimed to revive China’s divinely-inspired culture—a culture almost destroyed after decades of communist rule in China, according to the Shen Yun website.

Mr. Lombaer works for the city of Chicago in airport law and caught Shen Yun on April 3 at the Civic Opera House.

“It’s interesting; it’s a way to express themselves. … It gives hope, maybe, to some of the people in China,” he said.

“Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired,” reads a statement on Shen Yun’s website.

Mr. Lombaer found it interesting to see dances represented from China’s many dynasties.

He also felt that the performance allowed for cultural exchange, since “it is telling us more about the Chinese culture and Chinese history. Chicago [has] a very diverse culture,” he said.

Mr. Lombaer felt that Chicago’s mayor was great at drawing international visitors to the city.

What would he tell the mayor of Chicago if he had a chance?

“Come see [Shen Yun], it is great,” he said.

Reporting by Stacey Tang and Sharon Kilarski

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