UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill.—Shen Yun Performing Arts brought historical and artistic excellence to the audience at the Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University on April 10.

Shen Yun is touring the world to bring awareness of 5,000 years of Chinese culture before communism. Today, the communist regime continues to persecute people of belief and suppress China’s traditional culture.

Mike and Liz Theodoros expressed their appreciation for this new awareness.

Mrs. Theodoros, an advocate for children with CASA, said, “There’s so much more that I think the American public doesn’t really know, [such as] just how communism came into play in the Chinese culture.”

She thought that communism had had an influence even in America. “Probably there’s very much influence in the United States from China, just because of the economic influence that China has,” she said.

Chinese culture is said to be divinely inspired, and the culture has many stories of divine interaction with people. Mrs. Theodoros was intrigued by the spiritual values displayed in the dances.

“I think it’s beautiful. Very beautiful. I'd like to find out a little bit more about it,” she said.

Shen Yun portrays spiritual values seldom presented in performances today.

“I think it’s a remarkable idea,” Mrs. Theodoros said. “I think it’s very clever, very clever, and courageous. ... Very clever to think of mission and put it into music and dance and, you know, beautiful forms.”

Regarding the impact these positive values the upright values would have on the American public, Mrs. Theodoros said, “I think it’ll bring curiosity.”

Mr. Theodoros, who works in the construction trades, said it would be good for U.S. officials to see Shen Yun.

“It’s our current administration. It might be a good eye-opener to see. Maybe they could learn something,” he said.

Mr. Theodoros was impressed not only with the spiritual message, but with the skill and talent of the dancers.

He said their style and skills were “remarkable. Over the top. Words are hard to describe. They’re very, very talented.”

Mrs. Theodoros was also amazed with the dancers’ artistic talent. “Just the remarkable ability of human beings and how they can really express ideas through dance and music,” she said. “It’s beautiful.”

“The work that goes into it is absolutely amazing,” Mr. Theodoros said.