Among them, Michel Pichan, mayor of Saint-Lizier in Ariège and president of the Ariège Tourism Development Agency, offered a particularly insightful account, drawing on his knowledge of the arts and choreography.

A regular attendee of dance performances, Mr. Pichan is also familiar with this world as his son is a professional dancer who has performed with major European companies. It was therefore with a discerning eye that he discovered Shen Yun.

“It was extraordinary. I’m used to contemporary and classical ballets. But this was ballet with a strong Asian influence, drawing on that ancient civilization. So I really enjoyed it,” said Mr. Pichan, who is of Asian descent.

This cultural dimension did not escape Mr. Pichan, who was attuned to the performance’s historical depths. He saw in Shen Yun much more than just an aesthetic spectacle: an immersion in a civilization dating back thousands of years.

“The costumes are extraordinary because they’re so different from what we’re used to seeing in Europe. My son was dressed by Versace, so it’s a different style, but the style of Asian or Chinese costumes is extraordinary,” he said.

The costumes complement each scene and enhance the on-stage narrative. Bright colors, flowing fabrics, and traditional embellishments help transport the audience to a variety of worlds: imperial palaces, ancient countryside, sacred mountains, and celestial legends.

“I’m really happy to have this music performed by an orchestra—if I understand correctly, one from New York … I’m really happy to be a little eclectic, to be able to enjoy both the classical music we’re used to in Europe and Asian classical music, which is completely different and has a totally different tonal quality,” he said.

“Kindness and tradition can lead us back on the right path. That sentence says it all. It means that it celebrates the values of kindness, tradition, and courage—in other words, everything we need to live together harmoniously,” he said.

For this local elected official, these principles are particularly relevant in today’s society. He sees in them a message of peaceful coexistence among peoples and civilizations.

Mr. Pichan appreciated the cultural sensitivity that such a performance offers.

“All other cultures, whether from Latin America or Asia, offer us a different source of inspiration, a different perspective on things, a different outlook on life. (…) We see that we can coexist with many different civilizations, each with its own values, yet we still find common ground in all of them.”

“Well done, and keep it up—keep moving in this direction, because you’re bringing something new and a breath of fresh air that’s completely different from European culture, but which is necessary for us to live together harmoniously.”

Mrs. Luczak, a former principal of a high school and a middle school, summed up her experience as “two hours of escape” and “wonder,” praising “the technical skill,” “the costumes,” and “the prowess of these young people.”

Mr. Luczak, a former national education inspector, highlighted “the quality, the diversity of the scenes, and the professionalism.”

“I’m thrilled with it; I was immersed in a world that was completely new to me,” said Mrs. Luczak. “I’m really very happy with it. I’m going to recommend it to my friends.”

For her, the richness of the successive scenes, along with the costumes, played a major role in creating this sense of escape. “It’s truly enchanting. It’s part of the magic, and it transports us,” she said.

Mrs. Luczak also said she was pleasantly surprised to discover a live orchestra and traditional Chinese instruments she had never seen before.

When asked about Shen Yun’s spiritual themes, Mrs. Luczak said she found true peace in them. “It does us good to immerse ourselves in something else,” she said, before summing up her feelings in a few simple words: “To escape, to go somewhere else.”

Her husband agreed: “I’ll cherish this memory for a long time.” In his view, Shen Yun offers the audience a rare opportunity to step back from the stresses of daily life. “What I appreciate about this kind of performance is that it allows you to escape, despite everything that’s going on in the world right now.”

The former inspector also emphasized the beauty highlighted by the performance. “Beauty, after all, and what people are capable of doing… it’s true that it does you good,” he said.

For him, seeing “beautiful things” like a Shen Yun performance is a real “fountain of youth.”