Walling needed time after the performance to let everything sink in and let the exact inspiration he received rise to the surface. But right away he was curious to know more about the ethnic and folk dances from Mongolia and from ancient China’s dynasties.

Shen Yun utilizes classical Chinese dance, an ancient and highly-expressive art form developed over thousands of years in China, in its quest to revive that ancient civilization and traditional culture.

Combined with couture costumes, a live orchestra with Eastern and Western instruments, digitally animated backdrops, and more, Shen Yun’s performance delights audiences from Los Angeles to Paris to Tokyo and has influenced the art world significantly.

Walling, the painter, agreed. “Absolutely, love it! Everything flows. Everything makes sense. It’s a full composition. You know, every dance, every—, every movement, the background, everything, love it. Very thoughtful.”

“I didn’t know that all those acrobatic moves really came from China, too. So that was neat,” he said.

In reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun passes on reminders of the most essential aspect of that ancient civilization: its deeply spiritual beliefs such as Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

Walling said he absolutely loved this component of Shen Yun.

“I mean, I think that’s the original dance in this world came from reverence to God or a being or entity. So that’s where dance came from. So, of course, it makes sense,” he said, adding that the performance and its divine themes inspired him and made him feel good.

“Oh, I love it. Absolutely. Yeah. It needs to be over in China too. ... It’s important to keep this going because, again, I didn’t know about it. And probably a lot of people didn’t know that this was an art form that’s been going on for a long time,” he said.

“So the whole thing is an emotional experience I guess. Because that’s frustrating. So subjugating a whole group of people that believe something that’s personal, you can’t stop people from doing that. I know they’re doing that to the Muslims over there, the Uyghurs. So yes, this is important. It’s very important, not just artistically, but socially, I think. Absolutely.”

To Shen Yun’s artists, Walling extended his gratitude and the hope to see them again.

“Just thank you!” he told them. “Yes, thank you for doing it. I know I can’t. The amount of work that goes into [your performance] is overwhelming. And, yes, just keep coming back. Keep doing it. Yes, absolutely! Thank you!”