AUSTIN, Texas—Shen Yun Performing Arts kicked off the first of its four shows in Austin, Texas, at the Long Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 6. “I think it’s spectacular. It’s extraordinary—different from anything I’ve ever seen,” said actress and former ballerina Nadia Sahari.

As a professional dancer, Ms. Sahari was impressed by how synchronized the performers’ movements were. “They have to have practiced a lot, their timing is perfect,” she said.

Mr. Shale said he loved every element of the performance and will be recommending Shen Yun to his friends and family. “The acrobatics were amazing and the costumes are beautiful. The synchronicity of the dancing is phenomenal. I loved the music. The orchestra is wonderful,” he said.

“They’re doing all these incredible jumps and they make it look so graceful. I don’t know how they do it. It was very amazing,” he said. “There is something about dance and music—you don’t need language.”

To Mr. Carr’s dismay, “communism has only been around since 1949. [China’s] got 5,000 years of traditions and dynasties—millennia of developing [this culture,] then basically in less than 100 years, it’s been shut down.”

“The communists are shutting it down because they don’t want faith. They want everyone to be faithful to them and not have their own beliefs,” Ms. Carr added.

“The human spirit prevails,” he said. “I think the dances really exemplify that and bring out the beauty in the history of China.”