SAN FRANCISCO—Physics professor Patricia Soto was blown away by the gravity-defying ability of Shen Yun Performing Arts on New Year’s Eve at the War Memorial Opera House.

“It breaks all the rules of physics. It’s beautiful. It is beautiful the way each dancer [was] as if they were floating in air. It’s so majestic and so elegant and so effortless,” Ms. Soto said.

Shen Yun is based in New York, and artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“It’s as if they didn’t have gravity—as if any spin is completely effortless, whether they are spinning vertically or horizontally. It’s beautiful, and it’s so well coordinated, and it is not imposed, but it’s a whole flow of motion. It’s beautiful,” Ms. Soto said.

The costumes in Shen Yun were designed by Shen Yun’s artistic director D.F. The attire is historically appropriate to each dynasty being depicted and has often been described as the attire worn in the heavens.

“It’s mesmerizing. It’s like feeling transported, and it is also the interplay between the motion and the beauty of the dresses. ... I don’t know who made the dresses, but the dress itself is part of the story—the dress helps tell the story,” Ms. Soto said.

Shen Yun is on a mission to present “China before communism,” and revive people’s connection with 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and culture.

“It’s very interesting to learn the story that we don’t have access to. And we are being told those stories through the music, through the performance. It’s like being immersed in storytelling,” Ms. Soto said.

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

“Everything is beautiful. I have to say, the first time that we see the interplay of the screen with the performance coming out of the screen, that was impressive. I was like, Oh wow, it’s here. It’s even better than AI,” Ms. Soto said.