FRESNO, Calif.—A common refrain from many theatergoers who experience Shen Yun Performing Arts is that it’s “absolutely astounding.” For Patricia Nicholls, who had come to see Shen Yun at the William Saroyan Theater in Fresno with her husband Ross, it was just that. “It’s beautiful,” Patricia said, describing Shen Yun’s display of traditional Chinese classical, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as a live orchestra. The story of China’s ancient civilization is narrated through Shen Yun’s diverse dances. One of the dances in this year’s repertoire told the story of one divine being who returned to earth. “And the story that it told is amazing. So, I found a root in all of humanity, in that we believe we came from a celestial being and we will go back there someday,” said Patricia, a retired clinical psychologist. “It was astounding to me to find that connection with such an ancient …