LOS ANGELES—Air Force chemist Joseph Mabry wasn’t quite sure what to expect when he stepped into the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening performance on Jan. 23, but he said he was surprised by the beauty and spiritual depth of the production.

“I’ve enjoyed it a lot,” he said. “I have enjoyed the focus on spirituality and tying things back to the Creator.”

“It’s something that we need more of. It would be nice to see more of it. I feel privileged to be able to see this here because I know that you can’t see it in China. So, I feel lucky,” he added.

New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled persecution by the communist party.

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 almost completely erased and replaced with atheism.

Shen Yun’s mission is to restore to the world’s stage the glory and beauty of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture. Because of this commitment, the company is currently forbidden by the Chinese Communist Party from performing in China.

Mr. Mabry said he believes that Shen Yun “teaches some fundamentals that got lost in society.”

“It’s a nice message,” he said.

“So, something like [Shen Yun] can help introduce people to things that are important that have been somewhat forgotten,” he added.

During its 2026 touring season, Shen Yun’s eight equally-sized companies perform in over 200 cities across five continents. Met with wide acclaim since its establishment in 2006, the company returns each year with a brand-new set of choreography and musical compositions.