PITTSBURGH—“It was very eye-opening,” said Paul Matula, director of human resources at Pittsburgh University, after watching Shen Yun Performing Arts, Feb. 20.

“It was very unique,” added Mr. Matula, who attended the performance with Shane Perry at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts. “I didn’t know much about what to expect from just looking at the picture in the brochure, but it’s a lot different and diverse than what I thought it was.”

“For 5,000 years divine culture flourished in the land of China,” reads Shen Yun’s website. “Humanity’s treasure was nearly lost, but through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is bringing back this glorious culture.”

Mr. Perry, a project director with a non-profit government contractor, enjoyed the stories about “the different ethnic communities around China.”

“It’s very beautiful, and it’s a lot different than what I see in ballet,” he added. “Ballet is actually really loud to me—I hear the clanking of the shoes walking across the floor, but [Shen Yun’s dancers] hardly make a sound when they walk across the stage. ”

According to Shen Yun, classical Chinese dance is one of the most expressive dance forms in the world. An art form tempered over thousands of years, it has helped to preserve 5,000 years of Chinese culture.

“It’s different and it’s very, very interesting,” Mr. Perry said.

Reporting by Li Jie and Michael Fitzgerald

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.