NEWARK, N.J.—General contractor Michael Inteso and his wife, April, a medical sales professional, had been hoping to see Shen Yun Performing Arts since 2020 but were unable to due to the pandemic.

On April 30, they finally had the opportunity at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The couple thought the matinee was a wonderful way to celebrate Mrs. Inteso’s birthday.

“I like the culture ... the dynamics of all the different [ethnic groups] and the different time periods they represent,” Mr. Inteso expressed.

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance and music company.

To satisfy popular demand, it has grown from one to eight equally sized companies that perform simultaneously to packed venues around the world.

Mr. Inteso was deeply moved by the artists’ courage to stand up for what they believe in.

“They’re brave enough to show some of the ideas that are banned in mainland China—they’re brave enough to show them here in America. I think it’s very enlightening,” he said.

As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China’s 5,000 years of history is filled with breathtaking legends and rich traditions. Yet, within just a few decades of the Chinese communists’ rise to power, this magnificent culture was almost completely destroyed.

Today, Shen Yun’s artists are working to revive this lost civilization, bringing to life through dance and music the beauty of pre-communist China.

For Mrs. Inteso, Shen Yun is “another reminder of how much freedom we actually have [in America.] How much we can practice religious freedom, freedom of speech—everything.”

She lamented that the company is banned by the ruling Chinese communist regime from performing in China.

There is “sadness that it has to be transported here to convey what can’t be conveyed back home,” she said.

She loved every aspect of Shen Yun’s performance—from the vibrant colors and scenic design to the innovative use of 3D animated backdrops and the compelling legends told through dance and music. “It’s been beautiful,” she said.

Mr. Inteso, too, was impressed by the amount of history and traditional Chinese culture the performers were able to convey through dance and music. For him, this was “a fantastic day.”

Summing up his feelings, Mr. Inteso said that what he will be bringing home with him is China’s 5,000 years of beauty and traditional culture.

“The 5,000 years, I think that’s the message. China can do better than what they’re doing [right now.] That’s the message I’m getting.”