AMNÉVILE, France—U.S. Army Sergeant Dean Jensen and elementary school teacher Heather Jensen attended the first of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ five consecutive performances at Galaxie Amnéville on Dec. 18.

Ms. Jensen was stunned by the beauty of the dances. “The talent was unbelievable to watch,” she said.

“We liked it. The music was wonderful, it was amazing. The dancing was awesome to watch, it was beautiful,” Mr. Jensen said, adding that he thought the experience was highly informative and very beautiful. “We would definitely watch it again and recommend it again.”

The most memorable moment for him, he said, was the solo performance on the erhu, an ancient two-stringed Chinese instrument often likened to the human voice for its expressive range, and he called it impressive.

Ms. Jensen added that it was her first time hearing the instrument live. “It was a treat to see. It was beautiful,” she said.

“The music is very original because it blends Western and Eastern elements,” Ms. Klaeren said.

Using classical Western orchestration as its foundation, Shen Yun’s original compositions feature traditional Chinese instruments such as the two-stringed erhu and the pipa—an ancient lute—giving the audience the best of both worlds.

Ms. Smirnova was captivated by the positive energy of the performers.

“It’s very, very good, the energy around is amazing,” she said. “I love this concert; it’s very interesting. There’s so much energy everywhere, thanks to the great music. ... And the colors, there are so many colors, the fabrics are beautiful.”