CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas—Although classical Chinese dance is centuries old, it hadn’t become globally accessible until recent years. Part of the reason for its growing popularity is the efforts of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

“I wish more people had a chance to see it because it’s beautiful,” Karen Ives, who used to study ballet, jazz, and tap dance, said from a performance on Feb. 25. “And the thought and the passion and the feeling that goes behind it, and the storytelling, is wonderful too.”

“She used to be a dancer, so she’s amazed by the footwork that the ladies have. And the altitude and the athleticism of the men is just incredible, and the synchronization is crazy—how much they stay together. Everything’s completely together all the time. It’s very impressive,” Mike Simmons, a physician, said.

Male dancers in classical Chinese dance are often recognized for their strength. The tumbling techniques seen in Shen Yun are usually linked to gymnastics but these techniques actually originate from classical Chinese dance.

“I think one of the early performances by the men—where they were doing the flips and the athleticism of that, how high they were jumping, flipping, all of them were flipping—that was very impressive. And then, the scenery and the costumes are beautiful too. So the colors are awesome,” Mr. Vaughan said.

Classical Chinese dance requires disciplined training in bearing, form, and technique. Before the start of each season, Shen Yun’s artists rehearse tirelessly to ensure they can give their best every time they set foot on stage.

“The training must be so intense. The work that must go into this to create a show like that is just phenomenal. So they must work so hard. And you can tell because it’s just wonderful,” Ms. Ives said.

“I’m impressed by the different styles of each region, like watching the Tibetans. It’s interesting to see the difference in the geographic areas and how the dances change,” Mr. Vaughan said.