ESCONDIDO, Calif.—When mosaic glass artist Cherrie LaPorte attended Shen Yun Performing Arts on Jan. 18, she was mesmerized by the show’s variety of vivid colors.

Ms. LaPorte, who studied Buddhism, found the show very relatable and felt a connection to “the divine and the freedom of the people.”

“I think it’s just a wonderful expression to see how the Creator is part of this whole entourage of what’s happening,” she added. “It was all in the expression of what [the artists] stand for and the unity of our spirituality.”

Ms. LaPorte said the show will be serving as an inspiration for her future artistic creations. She especially enjoyed the innovative 3D backdrop.

“I loved it. It’s so well done and very unique,” she said. “I haven’t seen [anything] quite like that—it brings more emphasis than just the dance on the stage. It expands the whole performance. It’s wonderful.”

“[Shen Yun] is a return to sanity. It makes you feel like you’ve reached back into nature and you’ve just found your roots. You just feel deeply immersed in the whole experience,” he expressed.

A musician himself, Mr. Grulli, said he felt every aspect of the matinee.

“The whole time I’m watching the dance, I’m also feeling the music, I’m feeling the exhilaration from the acting and the emotions—it’s amazing,” he said, adding that Shen Yun’s story-based pieces are “really well thought out.”

“[Americans] are lucky that we’ve had freedom for as long as we had it. But now, [communism] is seeping through the cracks, and it’s coming up from somewhere. History is repeating, unfortunately.”

“You have this time in your life to accomplish your dreams and your goals. Money and wealth is not always the answer, but rather, finding out who you really are and what your purpose is,” he said.

“It was wonderful to be able to come and watch such talent and be completely immersed into a whole different realm, different world. This is what we need to get back to.”