CALGARY, Canada—“This is just such a spectacular performance. … There’s nothing like this,” Megan Wright, assistant director of admissions for Visual College of Art and Design of Calgary said of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

“It was just really exciting to see. … I was listening to people in the audience just … ‘oooing’ and ‘aahing,’” she said. “This is just so unique … so different.”

“I really enjoyed it,” said Mr. Coady, “It was excellent to see the different portrayals of the culture … through the form of dance.”

Having danced with the Alberta Ballet for 16 years, Ms. Wright was amazed by Shen Yun dancers’ talent and training.

“All of the effort and all the training that they have to put in, it’s just really commendable,” she said. “An amazing … [and] talented bunch of dancers in this performance!”

“I think overall, it’s a message of hope,” Mr. Coady said. “How we can always persevere … how there’s always a way to see the light or to conquer whatever problems we have.”

“To have that sort of hope, and divine hope, it’s important across every culture,” he added.

Mr. Coady and Ms. Wright were particularly moved by the story-based dance portraying the persecution of Falun Dafa, a meditation discipline based on the values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

One dance piece this year depicts the state-orchestrated crime of forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa prisoners of conscience in China—part of the CCP’s persecution campaign.

“That one really hit home because I know that that’s still going on today,” Mr. Coady said.

“They have to keep doing what they’re doing because it’s such an important part of expressing that culture and expressing that art form,” she said.

“It’s very important to have that sense of hope, to have that reason for continuing, and it helps you keep that positive outlook,” she said. “If you keep hoping and keep persevering, it just showcases that things are going to get better.”