RENO, Nev.—For Logan Egbert, tickets to see New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, were a very special gift for a very special person. “My wife is very into dance, [and is] very interested in the culture and the language. And so as a birthday gift to her, I thought this would be a great opportunity to learn more about China’s history and culture, and enjoy the things that she’s interested in like music and dance,” Mr. Egbert, a builder and operator of geothermal power plants, said from the performance at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno. Ms. Len, a dance teacher, was overjoyed when she discovered that her husband had bought tickets for Shen Yun. “I love it. It’s so beautiful, so vibrant, it’s amazing. I feel like I’m right in there when I’m watching everything,” she said. Each dance …