DENVER—Mark Crossen, the retired CEO of Amrion Nutraceuticals, experienced Shen Yun for the first time on March 8. Sitting in the audience at The Buell Theatre, Mr. Crossen thought the whole show was otherworldly.

“The performers had to be world-class. They are well-trained and extremely talented. They seemed superhuman as they moved and danced and leaped through the air,” he exclaimed.

“It was beautiful! There was a celestial presence in all of it. I loved the show.”

“[Shen Yun] was depicting life in another realm—a realm of beauty, strength, virtue, and all the things that I think every culture in the world would like to epitomize.”

Prior to the communist takeover in 1949 and the regime’s spread of atheism, Chinese people had a deep belief in the divine. The whole foundation of China’s civilization was built on values and virtues from the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

However, within decades of communist rule, this culture was completely destroyed. Even today, millions of Chinese people are imprisoned for refusing to give up their faith.

“To stand up against oppression is beautiful and powerful and courageous. I really honor it and admire what [Shen Yun] is doing.”