SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Art began as a form of expression and from it came a way for humans to revere the divine. For Enzo Selvaggi, art director at sacred art restoration firm Heritage Liturgical, art is tradition and he found that tradition expressed in Shen Yun Performing Arts.

“Even Johannes Bach [said] that all art is ultimately for God, right? Because it comes from him. We’re rooted in it. And so to express anything in an artistic way is really to tap into our roots as human beings,” Mr. Selvaggi said.

“The modern age turns us into numbers, turns us into machines—wants to quantify us. But art is the exact opposite of that because it’s not about quantity, it’s not about what we output. It’s about the fundamental value and dignity of the human being. So the art, when it’s expressed authentically in a traditional fashion like this, really speaks to our inherent value as human beings,” Mr. Selvaggi said.

The lyrics performed by Shen Yun’s vocalists really resonated with Mr. Selvaggi. The singers are trained in the bel canto style and a translation of the Chinese text is provided on Shen Yun’s digital backdrop.

“I was [asking] my daughter here if she was noticing how they were telling stories without saying anything; that through gesture, you’re really able to tell a story. So there’s a humanity to that,” Mr. Selvaggi said. He brought his 7-year-old daughter, Vittoria, to see Shen Yun.

“Very touching. The one that really moved me was [‘Unprecedented Crime’],” Mr. Selvaggi said. “That really happens. So that, to me, was a very poignant and touching performance.”