ATLANTA—For four years, the Polyanins wanted and waited to see Shen Yun Performing Arts, but between family obligations and everyone’s schedules, they couldn’t make it. This year was finally the year.

On Dec. 27, Kirill Polyanin, business owner, his wife Elena, and daughter Anastasia attended the performance at Atlanta Symphony Hall.

“I like it so much,” said Mr. Polyanin, an engineer, pointing out Shen Yun’s unique backdrop technology and how dynamic the storytelling had been.

“We love it,” said Mrs. Polyanin. “The dance is showing the story of the country just by the moves without saying anything, it’s amazing, beautiful.”

New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company. Formed in 2006, it took less than a decade for the company to rise to global prominence and set a new bar for classical Chinese dance, an art form that was once nearly lost.

Famously expressive, the comprehensive dance form is one in which one’s inner emotions drive the movements, according to Shen Yun’s website.

Mr. Polyanin spoke of the conflicts depicted through dance, and Mrs. Polyanin said there was a story of a family that just brought her to tears. A mother made a heroic sacrifice, and as a mother herself, she empathized greatly.

“I was like sharing tears, it was very touching,” she said.

Also in the audience was Zameer Sachedina, CEO of a software company. Mr. Sachedina originally planned to see Shen Yun in Dallas, where he lives, but while visiting his sister and brother-in-law, ended up on a double date to the theater.

“I loved it, I was really pleasantly surprised, the special effects are so good, looks so natural when they go in,” Mr. Sachedina said.

“What we have learned about Chinese culture, [it’s] very authentic and old and has a lot of meanings, sacred meanings to life,” he said.

Spirituality, loyalty, sacrifice, and divine interventions were themes that stood out to Mr. Sachedina.

“It blew my mind, it’s way beyond my expectation—what I saw, and I think there’s still an hour left. ... I’m reading through this, and there’s a lot more to come. I’m really blown away,” he said.