ATLANTA—Rusty Clifton, owner of an insurance agency, brought his family to see Shen Yun Performing Arts on Dec. 24 at Atlanta Symphony Hall, curious to understand a side of China he hadn’t uncovered before.

“It has traditions that nobody else has, right? It has experiences over 5,000 years,” said Mr. Clifton. “I’ve also been fascinated about some of the culture and history.”

Before communism, for 5,000 years, China was a spiritual land. Dynasty after dynasty, Chinese people believed their culture was divinely inspired, with society centered around the concept of harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind.

Mr. Clifton found it thought-provoking that the communist regime in China has sought to suppress this culture so Shen Yun could not be seen there.

“Did they [Shen Yun] create this beauty for the rest of the world to see?” he asked.

“Everybody has a godly view. It’s just a little bit different from the 5,000 years of history that you have,” Mr. Clifton said.

Also in the audience was Laurian Cuffy, CEO of a media company that brings different cultures together.

China’s diverse ethnic minorities and their own folk dances, how one aspect of culture influences another, and the spirituality that tied it all together, as portrayed in many of the performances, was inspiring for Mr. Cuffy.