SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—After seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts last year, Daniel Hilger decided to give his mother, Diana Hilger, a ticket to Shen Yun as a gift.

“It was a really good experience, and I thought it would be something she'd really enjoy, the beauty of it and the culture,” said Mr. Hilger, a business owner in manufacturing.

“It was a wonderful experience. It really was. It opens your eyes to a lot of things. It does. It opens your mind. And things that you don’t really think about on a daily basis. It kind of brings it right to you,” said Ms. Hilger, who has retired from the medical field.

Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“It was all lovely. There was so much to take in. I enjoyed all of it. I did. I loved when they would just flip in the air, and that, it amazes me,” Ms. Hilger said.

Using classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is able to recreate beautiful moments from Chinese history, literature, myth, and legend.

Shen Yun’s live orchestra is a unique combination of traditional Chinese instruments and a classic Western ensemble.

“They really impressed. It’s a lot of emotions that you can feel with the music and the performance,” said Loren Grimaldo, Mr. Hilger’s fiancée.

One instrument that shone under the spotlight was the two-stringed erhu.

“I loved the woman that played the two-string, [it] amazed me. Two strings can make that beautiful music,” Ms. Hilger said.

Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The versatility of technology allows the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye, giving the stage endless possibilities.

“I like how they [jump] off the stage, it’s a really interesting way they do that,” Mr. Hilger said.