ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Company CEO Paul Zapata and David Hamilton, a retired professional from financial services and healthcare, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show on Jan. 28 at the California Center for the Arts. They enjoyed every aspect of the performance.

For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.

Mr. Hamilton was especially moved by Shen Yun’s bravery in highlighting spirituality and raising awareness about the persecution that people of faith still face in China today under communist rule.

“I loved it. I particularly enjoyed the [story about the] persecution, and the [divine] creation was lovely. It’s been I really had a nice time,” he said.

“I’ve heard a little bit about [the persecution before,] but the way it was depicted [in Shen Yun] brought clarity. I thought it was interesting. I enjoyed the narrators along the way to help tell the story.”

Moreover, he thought the dancers’ skill and talent were “just impeccable.”

“They were like little stilts, how they walked on that? Everything is just very aesthetically pleasing,” Mr. Hamilton said. “A really enjoyable show.”

Learning that Shen Yun is banned by the ruling communist regime from performing in China, Mr. Zapata said witnessing their freedom on the U.S. stage “made me proud to be American.”

“The tyranny of any culture is going to be manifested through history, and it’s just beautiful to see [Shen Yun] come out and be open enough to be able to display it here,” he said. “We hope that they'll have the freedom more [in China.]”

He appreciated the artists’ dedication to sharing traditional values and culture with the world.

“The work that they put into it must have been beyond what I could ever do,” he said. “It’s very much appreciated, and I’m definitely going to come back and invite more people.”