Deep in the woods of New York State, behind guarded gates, lies a vision of ancient China reborn – a private sanctuary called Dragon Springs, 400 acres where faith and art share the same stage. It is the creative center of Shen Yun, the epic stage production of Chinese history, legends, and politics.

"We are putting on stage the tyranny of China," said Ying Chen, a vice president and conductor with Shen Yun.

Chinese government calls the group behind Shen Yun an evil cult. Known as Falun Gong, it's a spiritual movement rooted in Buddhism. In 1992, founder Li Hongzhi started teaching Falun Gong's meditation exercises, which spread quickly throughout China.

And Beijing responded. In 1999, China banned the religious group.

Ying Chen says practitioners were imprisoned and tortured, including her own family. "My mom and my brother was sent to a labor camp," she said, "and he endured 18 months of agony, and his survival was a fragile miracle. He was literally tortured every single day."

"Sunday Morning" asked Shen Yun about these allegations – and they invited us into Dragon Springs, where spokeswoman Ying Chen showed us around.

We observed young men and women in total quiet. "It's a little bit like praying," said Chen. "We settle down our minds and try to purge distracting thoughts, and just stay really focused."

As to why men and women were sitting on opposite sides of the room, Chen said, "We have very conservative values in the school. So, we usually keep them separate."

Asked why Shen Yun invited the media into Dragon Springs – which they have not done until now – Chen said, "I think part of it is because they talk about a compound. Does it look like a compound? I think it's true that we work hard. This is a place that provides top-level dance training, and also it's a faith-based community."

Asked to respond to plaintiffs' accusation that they were denied medical attention they may have needed, Chen replied, "I cannot speak to what they went through. But I just find it very shocking and very different from the practice here and our policies here."

Regarding the suggestion that the Chinese government is behind the lawsuits, Chen said, "These lawsuits emerge at a time when Beijing escalated its global campaign against Shen Yun. It's really hard to see it as a mere coincidence."

And just this month, the Chinese Embassy called Shen Yun "a cult's propaganda," using "culture as cover" to "deliver indoctrination."

Shen Yun company members Regina Dong, Shindy Cai, and Piotr Huang were also sent as teenagers to Dragon Springs.

Dong said, "China has been trying to sabotage us since Day One. We've got death threats, bomb threats. And this tactic that they're using now is very similar to what they were using to persecute Falun Gong."

Huang said his parents did not pressure him to come to Dragon Springs: "Not at all. Now, if they came and tried to drag me away, I wouldn't go."

He says he has access to medical attention. "When I was having pain in my Achilles a few years back, my company manager, she gave me the contact to our doctor. I had an MRI done." Huang said he got instructions from the doctor on what to do going forward.

Cai, however, said she never gets sick, and believes her faith has protected her: "I actually do think so, because I almost find it strange sometimes. I'm like, you know, usually I'm supposed to come down with, like, a flu, but never. And I think a lot of it has to do with the energy."

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