(Clearwisdom.net) On January 9, 2009, the second and third performances by Shen Yun Performing Arts in San Jose played to a packed house. This seldom happens, as the jobless rate in San Jose is up to 12 percent.

Young Chinese Man: Impressive and Makes People Think

Mike Huang

Mike Huang works in the Bay area. He heard about Shen Yun when he studied in New York. "The show presents art and dance in a versatile way. The ideas are new and it represents classical beauty. Society nowadays lacks such classical art shows, especially in China," said Huang.

The ethnic dances reminded Huang of his hometown. "Where I came from, there are many ethnic groups--the Miao, the Tujia, and the Uygur. I could relate to the Miao ethnic dance. It was a cheerful dance with pretty accessories and graceful movements. The scenes of nature on the backdrop blended very well with the dance and the costumes. The beauty was sublimated to another level."

Huang did some choreography in college. Shen Yun evoked his memory of and passion for dance. "Choreography is not easy--it requires a lot of coordination. Shen Yun's choreography is very smooth. I look forward to the second half of the show."

"It's an artistic, impressive, and introspective show. It makes me think about the value of life and how to get along with nature."

New Immigrant: Amazing!

Ms. Zhang and her husband

Sophie arrived in the US just four months ago. She wore a colorful red cheongsam. Shen Yun's show was a secret gift from her husband. "I love the show. It is amazing. I can't believe I can see such an extraordinary show overseas. I will invite friends to come see the show once I get a chance." She loved "Flowing Silk" and "Wu Song Battles the Tiger," saying, "I have never seen such a marvelous show!"

Chinese Families: Extraordinary!

Grace Wu was impressed with the Shen Yun show she saw last year, and she brought her daughter along this year. She likes to tell her child traditional Chinese stories. "I used to do gymnastics. The artists' dancing skills are terrific. They work so well as a team."

Wu was moved by the story "Nothing Can Block the Divine Path." "When I saw the scene of Falun Gong practitioners being tortured, I felt like crying. In July I will bring other friends to see the show."

Ms. Yuan came from Beijing six years ago. She attended Saturday's show with her husband and daughter. She adored the show, "...Especially the ethnic dances such as 'In a Miao Village,' 'Mongolian Hospitality,'' and 'Tibetan Dance of Praise.'"

Ms. Li works for a computer company. She brought her daughter out of curiosity. She had seen many positive reports about Shen Yun's show. "I loved the Mongolian dance. It was brilliant and authentic and presented by professional artists. I liked ethnic dances since I was little. I saw that the audience around me responded well to the show. It feels good that there is a group such as Shen Yun sharing Chinese traditional culture with the world."