DENVER—“I just wish I was part of the company,” said Kathryn Fixel. “I admire them—their beauty, their tenacity, their work.” Ms. Fixel was talking about Shen Yun Performing Arts after seeing its second performance at Denver’s Buell Theater, on Feb. 18.

“Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales,” according to the company’s website.

Ms. Fixel, a financial planner, attended the performance with her son Anthony Fixel, a mortgage underwriter for Wells Fargo. The pair spoke over each other with excitement as they shared their experience after the performance.

Mr. Fixel is also a classical pianist, and he was impressed with Shen Yun’s artistry. “I’ve been just enjoying this so much—all the bright colors and everything,” he said. “It’s so vibrant.”

Mr. Fixel was also touched by the softer, more subtle aspects of the performance: “But then such a peacefulness about it, too,” he said. “Its just so, so enjoyable, so beautiful. The dancing, the choreography, and all the timing of everything is just mind blowing—it’s so spectacular.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to bring to life 5,000 years of divinely inspired civilization through stories told by traditional dance, music, and song.

“There’s nothing dull about it,” added Mr. Fixel. “It’s all just so exciting, so beautiful, with all the music. And the visual aspect of it is definitely very, very engaging.”

“It’s exceedingly beautiful,” echoed Ms. Fixel. “It’s just totally enjoyable, and it also hits the heart.”

Ms. Fixel explained that the entire program touched her heart because “it’s trying to emulate what life really is. You’ve got to take a look at it and see that it’s painful and it’s hard,” she said, adding that there’s beauty to be found within life’s challenges. “You can’t always see it, but it’s what’s within the heart.”

As audience to these story-dances, both mother and son felt that the spirituality of Shen Yun crosses cultural boundaries.

“In whatever ways they manifest themselves, it crosses all boundaries,” said Ms. Fixel, who concluded by speaking about the dancers’ joy of purpose in performing. “To me that is spiritual. … You pray in living, you pray in dancing, you pray in crying—in every aspect, and to me this is a beautiful prayer.”