PHILADELPHIA—The Miller Theater sparkled with appreciation when Shen Yun Performing Arts took the stage on May 7. Mike and Malysa Smythe enjoyed their first attendance at Shen Yun.

Mr. Smythe, a general manager for Ford Motor Company, said, “It’s awesome. Very, very awesome. Very enthusiastic. I like it. Definitely coming back.”

He was very impressed with “all the colors, the dancing. Very, very awesome. It’s great. Epic. Epic. Epic show.”

An audience favorite is the technology that is part of the dance sets. Shen Yun’s patented 3D backdrop interacts with the performers as they fly and jump into other realms.

“It’s awesome. It adds 100 percent to the show,” Mr. Smythe said, referring to the backdrop.

Mrs. Smythe approved. “It’s good,” she said. “I love the storyline. They’re not too long. It’s just understanding what’s on point, and what you need to relate it to. It’s really good.”

“The culture? It’s good,” Mrs. Smythe said. “We didn’t know this until we are sitting down and seeing it. This is a good thing to know. [Perhaps one day] China will be able to open up, and everybody can see that China’s culture is really good.

She said she would definitely introduce Shen Yun to friends: “I would say, ‘You have to come see. It is really nice. It’s breathtaking.’”

Ann Martini, a retired nurse, and her daughter Lisa, a retired office manager, loved every minute of the performance.

Ms. Ann Martini said, “It’s absolutely wonderful. Everything is so beautiful. I can’t get over the precision and how everybody does everything at exactly the same time. It’s just wonderful.”

She said, “I went to China about 20 years ago, and I was absolutely fascinated. I would love to go back again and see so many more beautiful things. But this is just spectacular.”

“I’m very interested in the marrying of the screen to the people. I was not expecting that,” she said.

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture before communism. Unfortunately, the communist regime has suppressed this rich culture. Shen Yun is banned from performing in China.

Ms. Ann Martini was happy that Shen Yun is bringing the stories and culture to the world stage.

“I think it’s wonderful. We need to do that for a lot more people. I think it’s absolutely fascinating; [Chinese culture] should never be lost,” she said.

“It was interesting,” Ms. Lisa Martini said. “I was not aware of that. I’m learning a lot through the stories.”

Mother and daughter were happy to share with others about Shen Yun. “I think everybody should bring their mother so they can enjoy it as we have,” Ms. Lisa Martini said.

Her mother agreed. “The very best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten was to come and see this.”