PROVIDENCE, R.I.—On Feb. 15, 2026, those at Providence Performing Arts Center were treated to an ancient culture that was almost lost under decades of repressive communist rule. The audience was watching Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Based in upstate New York, Shen Yun is a music and dance company that hopes to bring back the culture of “China before communism.” Of note, the company is banned from performing by the regime in China.

Ernie and Judith Potter know something of this firsthand. Mr. Potter, a retired carpenter and professional musician, explained that, for years, the couple housed girls from mainland China, who’d been told they were not allowed to see Shen Yun.

Each year, the performance is made of about 20 short dances and usually features an instrumental soloist or vocalist. The pianist accompanying the soprano reminded Mr. Potter of the girls. All the girls played instruments, and most of them played the piano.

“We’ve wanted to come for years, but [the girls] all refused to come to see the show, and we’ve been wanting to see it for 14 years,” he said.

In addition to the solo performances, Shen Yun’s full symphony orchestra provides support for the story-based dances framed and enhanced by colorful backdrops.

The Potters truly enjoyed the state-of-the-art digital backdrop that whisks audiences away to mythical landscapes, vast landscapes, and ancient palaces.

Now, a painter, Mrs. Potter, who had been a professional photographer for over 30 years, said, “The color and the costumes are fantastic, and the dancing and the jumping and the whole aerobic activities of everybody, it’s beautiful. Very well done. Excellent.”

She also commented on how the dancers moved back and forth between the stage and the screen, where they would reappear as animated images.

Mr. Potter also enjoyed the interactive backdrop. “I love how they incorporated the graphics and the dances. People disappear behind the wall and all of a sudden, they’re flying,” he said. “I think it’s wonderful.”

His overall impression was that “it’s uplifting. [The] music is beautiful, the dancing is beautiful.”

“I’m going to tell other people about it. … I’m going to tell them it’s a wonderful production,” he said.

What drives Shen Yun to present the beauty of traditional Chinese culture is the connection that the ancients perceived between art and the divine. Shen Yun’s website states that “throughout history, almost every culture looked toward the divine for inspiration. Art was meant to uplift, bringing joy to both the people who created and experienced it.”

This ideal came through to the Potters. Mr. Potter felt the performance’s “spiritual aspects enlightening … it’s nice to see that incorporated in the production because most of the time, you don’t see that anymore.”

Similarly, Mrs. Potter was happy that the performance talked about the Creator.

“It makes you tranquil and happy and glad that [Shen Yun’s] able to be in New York and set up … base there,” she said.

Matt Putnam, also in the audience, felt that Shen Yun delivered “an important message at an important time.” A purchasing agent, Mr. Putnam, attended with his wife, Melissa.

He saw a link to what is going on in America now, “Just the fact that I think you have to fight for the things that are in your traditions and things you believe [in]. Otherwise, they can go away.”

It was the uniqueness of Shen Yun that appealed to Mrs. Putnam: “It’s something so different. I’ve never actually seen a performance of this nature before. It’s beautiful. The colors, the costumes, the authenticity is really beautiful.”

The dance costumes are indeed authentic. The colors and styles are true to Chinese tradition, presenting dynasties, regions, and ethnic groups appropriate to each specific dance. Other costumes evoke otherworldly charm; Chinese legends claim that ancient attire was inspired by the heavens.

It was the dancing that struck Mr. Putnam, especially the dancers’ athleticism and flexibility. “People are jumping off a hard stage, landing on a hard stage, and doing it as if they’re weightless. It’s impressive,” he said.

She felt the performance was unique because of the cultural aspect that allowed her to learn about traditional beliefs in China.

In particular, she was impressed by the soprano’s song. Although the vocalist performed in Chinese, the lyrics appear on the backdrop in both Chinese and English.

Ms. Bucci was referring to the meaning of the lyrics and their explicit mentioning of the Creator.