ATLANTA—With Christmas and the new year just around the corner, some audience members are looking for a rare opportunity to sit down and unwind. Philip Malone III, the finance manager for a car dealership, found that seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts helped him relax after a stressful day.

“I feel very enlightened ... I had a very stressful day today, and I finally am now relaxed,” said Mr. Malone.

“I feel closer to God,” said Mr. Malone after seeing the performance at the Atlanta Symphony Hall on Dec. 23.

Traditional Chinese culture is filled with sages who improve their character through hardship and meditation. Shen Yun often portrays their stories through dance and music.

Mr. Malone shared the inspiration he felt after witnessing these stories.

“Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I’m planning on meditating in my garden ... To relax. Work is not everything in life,” he said.

“That’s what I practice in my life. I like to help others,” he said.

Mr. Malone’s friend, Darlene Love, a store manager, was also in attendance.

“The colors of their [costumes] and the synchronization of the dancers is just amazing to me. How they can be so fluid? They look like they’re just dancing on air,” said Ms. Love.

One dance that left a deep impression on Ms. Love was one in which the dancers wore costumes with long, flowing “water sleeves,” which they manipulated through the air as props.

“The water sleeves are just beautiful,” she said.

She also loved how Shen Yun’s digital backdrop enhanced the performance.

One thing that sets classical Chinese dance apart from other dance styles is its ability to express and portray different character and situations. Ms. Love was struck by Shen Yun using this dance form to tell an array of stories.

“I love the different areas; they did a school scene with children. That was inspiring. Then they did a lover scene with the husband and the wife. And then they do a book of the ladies. So I love the different scenes with all varying ages and stages of life. We’re all depicted. It was very nice. Thank you,” she said.

“The orchestra is just absolutely wonderful,” praised Mr. Malone.