AMNEVILLE, France—Company manager Claire De Lombaert and her husband, Edwin Borgatti, a recruitment manager, traveled all the way from Belgium to attend the opening show of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ 2026 world tour on Dec. 18, at Galaxie Amnéville.

A big fan of folk dance, Ms. De Lombaert was thrilled when she saw the company’s advertisements. Mr. Borgatti surprised her with the tickets as a Christmas gift and turned the experience into a memorable date night.

“I find it very graceful. [Shen Yun dancers] make moves that would be extremely complicated for ordinary people look completely simple, light, and graceful,” Ms. De Lombaert said excitedly during intermission.

“The pieces with the sleeves—the choice of colors, the visual movements, the alignments—it’s very professional.”

Now celebrating 20 years of successful performances, Shen Yun’s water sleeve pieces have always stood out to audience members. The dancers’ long, silky sleeves were a feature of ancient Chinese feminine attire, symbolizing humility and grace.

For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.

“I found that the scene where the communist figure appears during the persecution really sends shivers down your spine,” she said. “I think [the dancers] have real acting talents. It’s chilling, yet at the same time, you’re applauding them. That scene is truly unsettling.”

She was so captivated by the stage that she sometimes forgot there was a live orchestra, but that did nothing to lessen her appreciation for the musicians.

“There’s a real, live human orchestra present. … It’s magnificent,” Ms. De Lombaert said. Their performance was “extremely harmonious to the ear. It’s very beautiful, both musically and visually.”

“We can’t wait to see what comes next,” Mr. Borgatti added.