Audience: Shen Yun Shows Pre-Communist China

Shen Yun's performances attract audience members from all walks of life. On Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, the group performed in three states.

Jim Smith is the vice president of Lynnwood City Council in Washington. He brought his wife, Sherry Smith, to see the performance in Seattle.

"The dancers were absolutely incredible. And I keep on using the word incredible, I guess incredible plus," said Jim Smith.

"We loved it. It was fabulous. The dancing, the costumes, they were just beautiful," said Sherry Smith.

The couple was caught by surprise by the performers' artistic skills.

“Everything was so much more, so much greater than we absolutely anticipated. It was more than just dancing," Jim Smith said.

"I've been in the entertainment business for decades. And I am absolutely impressed about what went on here, about the entire show. And then to find out that they have a new show every year. I am totally, completely impressed,” he added.

“This is amazing," said Ron Roester, a former senior quality facilitator of Chrysler.

Roester and his wife watched Shen Yun in Seattle on Oct. 2. The couple bought the ticket to celebrate her 81st birthday. "What a wonderful gift. What a wonderful time. This show is just phenomenal. It's amazing," he said.

The couple marveled at the cultural elements of the performance.

“The culture came through with the dances, the culture of ancient China, and what that was and the meaning of it. So it just provided a wonderful foundation to understand China, and where it is today, and where it has been for so many years," he added. "It provided a different picture for me."

"And it's so sad for me now today, because China has a different picture of what reality is, or at least what it was for thousands of years. And so being able to see this [Shen Yun] is like such a gift. It opens a new place in my heart for the Chinese people," he said.

Shen Yun draws inspiration from ancient Chinese culture, which has nearly been destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party. The couple said the production brings hope to the Chinese people.

“This is the hope for a new China ... to bring this to the world. [It] lets people know what ancient China used to be like, what China should be, and hopefully, what in the future China's going to be—getting the politics out of it, getting the culture bath, that's very important,” said Jim Smith.

"I'm hoping that it has a tremendous impact on more people that see this or experience Shen Yun, can really get a good picture of what the reality of Chinese culture, ancient culture, and what it is and how it has been in the past, to hopefully moving forward into the future in a positive way,” said Ron Roester.

“This has been the best diplomacy in the furthering of the culture of China, of anything that I've ever seen. So I hope that this doubles, triples, quadruples throughout the world so that people can see what went on—what goes on in China, what the heart of China is truly about, what the tradition of China is truly about," added Jim Smith.

NTD NEWS, Seattle, Washington