WASHINGTON—An enchanting world of ancient history from the East descended upon theatergoers in Washington on Jan. 16 when Shen Yun Performing Arts dancers flipped, twirled, and even seemed to fly across the stage.

By day, professionals in the sometimes stoic capital work in government offices, for branches of the military, or for defense contractors. But on this night, they converged on the Trump Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opera house and admired the movements of classical Chinese dancers from Shen Yun.

The dance company that tours globally portrays more than just superficial techniques. Shen Yun aims to revive arts that were almost lost in China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. It strives to inspire on a deep spiritual level a renaissance of ancient culture and values, and showcase China before communism.

Many in the audience on this night were inspired by Shen Yun’s message.

“It definitely enhanced my personal faith,” said Jessica McDonald, an assistant for Missouri’s congressional representative. “I liked the fact that it had a lot of heaven and earth and divine elements, which I wasn’t expecting. I really liked that.”

Audience members first saw the curtain rise to a cloud-bedecked kingdom in the heavens. The ancient myth of creation unfolded as deities descended to Earth in a procession, becoming the various dynasties and ethnicities of China throughout history.

McDonald told The Epoch Times Shen Yun now makes her pay “closer attention to where I can see different aspects of God or different aspects of a divine creator influencing my life.”

Brannock McVey, who accompanied McDonald and who works for the Coast Guard, said he loved Shen Yun’s unique live orchestra. “It incorporates Western instruments in addition to the traditional [Chinese instruments],” he said. “My biggest takeaway is how seamlessly those two styles came together just into a very coherent and beautiful thing.”

Speaking of Shen Yun’s choreographed dances, he said the peacock-themed segment made him feel like he “was flying.”

In its effort to revive ancient culture, Shen Yun artists research motifs such as the peacock, the dragon, the phoenix, and the cloud. The refreshing colors that the costumes exude are drawn from heavenly beings depicted in manuscripts. Yet nothing about Shen Yun seems old; the vibrant performance feels like a new world.

“It’s enlightening, on understanding the world as a common denominator of heaven and the goals of getting there,” said Raymond Deschenes, who works in marketing. “I didn’t know that the Chinese had the belief of heaven; I thought that was just a Christian aspect.”

Then he added: “It was uplifting, absolutely!”

While the officially atheist Chinese regime persecutes spiritual believers in mainland China, Shen Yun places gods and divine believers literally frontstage. Some scenes depict religious persecution in modern-day China. That’s one reason the company is from New York; they’re banned from performing in China.

David Rowland, who works for a defense technology company, also saw Shen Yun on Jan. 16, and called an underlying theme “anti-communist.” He referred to lyrics sung by Shen Yun’s baritones, speaking against atheism.

“It’s a great performance,” Rowland said, adding that he’s a Catholic.

Rowland’s wife, Amy, a teacher, said she loved the visual effects. Shen Yun features a high-tech 3D animated backdrop that transports theatergoers into misty mountains, into the heavens, and even to the moon.

A former dancer in college, she applauded the dancers’ skills. Classical Chinese dance is one of the most comprehensive systems in the world, featuring soulful gestures and highly athletic flipping and tumbling. Many moves in gymnastics actually originate from classical Chinese dance.

“It’s phenomenal. It’s perfection,” Amy said. “The technique and the timing—I mean, you can tell—they don’t mess around.”