“Thank you very much for giving your hearts and your minds and your souls and your bodies to this because it is uplifting to everybody. It lifted up my soul,” shared Mr. Swenness.

Shen Yun, based in New York, is on a mission to present “China before communism,” and revive people’s connection with 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and culture.

“I congratulate you on your abilities and ask you that you continue to excel and go on as long as you can doing these performances,” Mr. Swenness expressed.

”I thought it was wonderful. Very creative and very moving. …. I’m a musician too, so it really touches my heart,” said Mr. Swenness, who plays the trumpet among other instruments.

“Every time I feel sad, I just play music, and it lifts up my soul. In most cases, [music] does have healing power. But, this was very touching to me tonight,” he said.

Mr. Swenness shared that he enjoyed the “Ladies’ classical Chinese dance.”

“[The dance] was very moving for me because I like the choreography and I like the simultaneous movements,” he said. He also enjoyed both the men’s and ladies’ Mongolian ethnic dances.