(Clearwisdom.net) On Friday evening, September 4, 2009, many audience members at Greensboro's War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro, North Carolina were profoundly moved after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company for the first time. Among them were Ms. Harris, director of the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts, and Ms. McIver, a recent graduate of the School of Arts at that university.

Ms. Harris, director of the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts

"I think it's beautiful! I think that one of the things I am getting the most is that it is a culture of forgiveness and a culture of trying to remember and remind ourselves of tradition that we believe in, and yet things that have been lost," Ms. Harris said.

"But even the things that have been lost in the totalitarian regime, there's a level of forgiveness against them in trying to pull them out in a way that's not a defensive, revenge setting. But [instead] remember who you are, remember why we are together and why peace is important. That's what I am getting from it ... other than the absolutely amazing, beautiful background and sets and music. It's unbelievable!" Ms. Harris said, still visibly moved by the show.

Reflecting further, she added, "What I am getting from this whole experience is both hope for a change ... and that just overall the music is very hopeful. Everything about this brings a new kind of hope," Ms. Harris said.

Ms. McIver said, "It's absolutely beautiful, visually stunning, but it's also emotionally compelling, and I do feel ... that the dancers and the singers are acting as ambassadors for the culture."

She said that the show brought to the West the idea that China is so much more than the communist regime and that "the spiritual-awakening aspect [of the show] is phenomenal and really interesting to see because that's not something I am that exposed to regularly."

Minister Moved By Spirituality and Culture

Mrs. Walker, a church minister, and her husband, a plumbing contractor, were also captivated by the Shen Yun performance. "Oh, this is wonderful. This is absolutely wonderful!" Mrs. Walker said excitedly. She added that the spirituality embedded in the show was "very, very encouraging. I like the way that they blended the spirituality with the dance and the culture. It was very wonderful to enjoy."

Mr. Walker joined in with his impression of the show, "I think what we see is that all people yearn basically for the same thing. They are looking to end up in a good place and to be treated right and properly and have freedom. I think we are all looking for some type of freedom, whether spiritual freedom or just freedom to do and to be what we want to be. And this really touched me when I looked across the world, and I've traveled some: People just want to be free and to live openly and honestly."

Mrs. Walker reflected on what she had seen during the first half of the show and recalled the dance, "Welcoming Spring" with its beautiful colors, and also, "the one with creation and the creator" ["The Five Millennia Begin"]. "It was just absolutely beautiful, absolutely beautiful!" she said.