CINCINNATI, Ohio—On the afternoon of Feb. 7, Dr. Rob Cartwright and Dr. Yvonne Cartwright attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ opening performance at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio, accompanied by their two daughters and Yvonne’s mother, Annette Douglas.

Experiencing Shen Yun for the first time, Mrs. Cartwright expressed unreserved enthusiasm.

“Amazing—absolutely amazing,” she said. “It was beyond my expectations. I loved every part of it.”

In her view, Shen Yun stands entirely on its own. “There’s really nothing else like it,” she said. “You have to come here to experience it.”

Mr. Cartwright echoed his wife’s admiration, noting that the performance made an immediate visual impact.

“The first thing I said was, ‘The costumes are amazing,’” he recalled. “They’re bright, vibrant, and absolutely beautiful.”

As a medical professional, Mr. Cartwright was particularly struck by the dancers’ physical conditioning and discipline.

“They’re incredible,” he said. “The whole time, I kept thinking how amazing they are—you can really see the training.”

Both doctors said one of the many standout pieces was the Peacock Dance.

“I loved the costumes, and I loved the movement,” Mrs. Cartwright said. “I also loved how they came out of the ground—it was just perfect. The choreography was excellent.”

Mr. Cartwright also recalled being captivated by the opening moments of the Peacock Dance. “I thought it was amazing how they used the mist at the beginning, and then the dancers emerged from it,” he said. “That was beautiful.”

“The choreography and everything were amazing,” he said, “but what really set it apart was the spiritual aspect. The message behind it was great.”

For him, that message was both clear and timely. “It was about more love and peace, as opposed to hate and war,” he said.

The appearance of the Creator on stage came as a meaningful and unexpected moment for Mr. Cartwright.

“I was surprised—I didn’t expect that,” he said. “But I thought it was amazing. The Creator is all about love and peace.”

Mrs. Cartwright’s mother, Annette Douglas, a retired teacher, was also deeply moved by the performance’s spiritual themes.

“I was very impressed with the spiritual aspect,” she said. “Especially the part about the Creator—that really stood out to me.”

“The stories were simple but very powerful,” she said. “The message was outstanding, and the music conveyed it beautifully.”