RALEIGH, N.C.—Retired doctor Tim Swank and marketing product manager Nada McKinney watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Memorial Auditorium at Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 21.

“I love the show,” Ms. McKinney said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“They’re so talented,” Ms. McKinney said. “All these people … they’re very, very talented, very athletic, very beautiful, both artistic and athletic—it’s great.”

“I think they’re trying to portray the tradition and the respect of the tradition, and teaching understanding and respect of different people’s traditions. That’s the message I was getting; to respect it and to preserve it, and to not let it be overpowered by the pressures of the modern world.”

Also in the audience were IT executives Thomas Oran and Thien Hoang. They both said they enjoyed the performance.

“It’s very warm, very empathetic,” Mr. Oran said. “There’s a lot of sharing, a lot of culture, a lot of information that I was unaware of, which was very enlightening. The dancers are amazing, and the story is very beautiful.”

Shen Yun’s program includes story-based dances, some of which are based in modern-day China and depict the Chinese government’s persecution of followers of faith.

“I’m unaware of the challenges that people have had in China, and to [see] their culture and … what they’ve been through and persevered and overcome has been very enlightening,” Mr. Oran said.

“I would definitely recommend it,” he said. “Definitely come for knowledge and information and sharing and compassion, and also a very wonderful cultural experience and also entertainment. The value is highly there.”