“They may not realize this, but, something in everybody who was in this building tonight changed because of what they heard and what they saw,” Ms. Krekow said.

“The mixture of the instruments is really unique,” said Mrs. Olsen. “And the way they feature the certain instruments is really interesting.”

“We are all also photographers, so for me seeing those incredible backdrops was just amazing.”

Mrs. Bak thought Shen Yun was “a lot of fun,” yet also an effective way to connect with the culture.

“It’s very interesting that you cannot see this show in China, but you can see it here,” Claudia Lieberman said.

Juli LaRosa said she found Shen Yun to show the “deeply spiritual nature” of Chinese culture.

“The talent is incredible from beginning to end,” said photographer Barbara Friedman. “I’ve never seen the show, but it took my breath away, totally took my breath away!”

Ms. Pirocek said the performance was “beautiful,” and she enjoyed the combination of dance and music.

“Really beautiful,” Mrs. Shanis enthused. “They’re all so graceful, they seem to float on the stage.”

Ms. Hansberry, schooled in dance, appreciated the skill and flexibility of Shen Yun’s dancers.