NORTHAMPTON, UK—Petra Rock, a fitness instructor and teacher, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts on Jan. 21 at Royal & Derngate.

Ms. Rock used to be an elementary school teacher and she saw many values in the New York-based Shen Yun that would benefit children.

“Stories they are telling, particularly about human behavior, there’s a lot of things that we can learn from [Shen Yun] if people take it to heart that the divine beings are watching,” she said.

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

“I know that lots of effort has gone into it. I’ve been a performing artist. To get to that standard of performance where they make it look effortless takes a lot of work and dedication,” she said.

Shen Yun uses classical Chinese dance to tell stories from China’s five millennia. Its dance stories also portray the modern true story of Falun Dafa practitioners being persecuted for their faith in China. Falun Dafa is a peaceful practice that teaches the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

Ms. Rock believes that these dance stories are “inspiring young people so that they learn from other people’s mistakes, they can see an example of how not to behave, because it makes them upset to see that bad behavior hurting other people.”

“The music is so well composed and so well performed by the musicians. ... So much work and effort has gone into it when the music was building, and you’ve got light and shade in the music—it’s moving. Sometimes it makes you want to cry because it’s so moving,” Ms. Rock 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.

“[It] was amazing to see the visual effects with the projection and how they jumped out of the film. That was beautifully done, and that was because of their timing and their attention to detail,” she said.

According to Shen Yun’s website, there are nine characteristics that make the company stand out. Ms. Rock saw each aspect of Shen Yun working in harmony.

“Combined with the dancers, the energy, the choreography, and the timing—they were all working as one, so it comes across as one spirit, and that goes into you, and that’s really moving,” she said.