Shen Yun Performing Arts

We're excited to unveil the trailer for our all-new 2025 performances. From classical?Chinese dance pieces to portrayals of historical figures drawn from 5,000 years of civilization, it is guaranteed to be a night to remember. See our full schedule?here: https://sypa.us/tickets

Read my Newsweek Op Ed in response to the recent skewed NYT article about Shen Yun. https://lnkd.in/d9t7cU-x I Was a Former Shen Yun Dancer. I Was Proud to Be a Part of It Reading The New York Times article about my former employer Shen Yun Performing Arts, I was shocked. The paper interviewed a group of former artists with a negative perspective, but where were the many voices of performers like me who loved their time with the company? I spent nearly a decade with Shen Yun, performing over 800 shows. I eventually left to pursue a career in dance education, but during my time with the company, I grew both professionally and as an individual. From the start, Shen Yun set its sights on becoming a top-tier performing arts organization. In my time as a Shen Yun dancer, from 2006 to 2015, my artistic standards evolved along with the company and the highly motivated individuals I worked with. As a child in Southern California, I searched for a connection with my cultural heritage and seriously trained in Chinese martial arts. But as I entered college, I was facing the prospects of a more conventional career, one that neither motivated nor inspired me. It was then that a family friend told me about a new performing arts company being formed in New York with a mission of presenting Chinese culture on stage. I began daydreaming about training with like-minded individuals, honing my skills, and showcasing all of that on stage to thousands of audience members. The boyish side of me could feel the thrill of such an adventure... Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/d9t7cU-x

The recent distorted portrayal of Shen Yun Performing Arts in the media truly saddens me. I would have supposed a mainstream American media outlet would be proud and supportive of a performing arts company that is itself “Made in America,” and was established precisely because of the freedom of expression the founding artists found on American soil, enabling them to fulfill their dream of reviving traditional Chinese culture. As someone who has performed with Shen Yun for 16 years, and can unhesitatingly describe that experience as deeply rewarding, I feel it’s important for the countless artists who have had positive experiences (and left out of the media report) to share our story. I chose to forgo the university offer I received in the U.K. (where I grew up), to apply to study Music Performance at Fei Tian for a chance to participate in their practicum program with Shen Yun. I was not forced to do that by my parents because they practiced Falun Gong. They have always been supportive of my decisions in life. I simply made that choice after watching a live performance of Shen Yun, as I was moved not only by the beauty and brilliance of the show, but by the company’s mission of promoting traditional culture. I knew exactly what I applied for: the practicum at Fei Tian offers students the opportunity to put performance skills learnt into practice, by touring with Shen Yun during the spring term. It’s a credit-bearing performance course, and certainly NOT paid employment for Shen Yun. That has been made abundantly clear to everyone over the years. Participation is a choice, and anyone can choose to opt-out of a chance to put their arts skills into practice in a professional environment. Of course though, I personally know of numerous students who jumped at the chance to participate. A Fei Tian dance faculty member (who used to be a professional Peking opera performer in China) once roughly said: “Our talents are nothing if we’re not provided a stage to showcase them.” Not only does the program at Fei Tian provide young talents with opportunities to showcase around the world, the prestigious theaters where we left our footprints are venues where many professional artists wouldn’t even get a chance to perform. For the attacks on Fei Tian or Shen Yun about exploiting young performers, I hope this has cleared up some misinformation. Was I exploited as a student? Absolutely not. As a young musician, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime.

I’d like to speak up about the recent article regarding Shen Yun Performing Arts, which made several frankly audacious claims that run counter to my own experiences. I’ve been a proud member of Shen Yun since 2021, employed as concertmaster of the Touring Company. From last year September until May this year, I fought my way back from a potentially career-terminating injury to my left shoulder. Initially, I didn’t consider it such a serious problem, but the moment it showed signs of greater severity, I was immediately encouraged—by many different people—to seek any medical aid necessary to resolve the issue. Never once have I been scorned for having a so-called “lack of faith” in my spiritual discipline, Falun Dafa. Nor do I believe I could’ve recovered so quickly, if at all, without the support and aid I received from my colleagues and managers. People are always entitled to their own opinions, but I hope the discerning reader will take time to consider the hundreds of satisfied employees here at Shen Yun. Our voices, not just the accusations of a select few, should also be heard.

My response to the NY Times article targetting Shen Yun and Falun Dafa

Recently a newspaper has made accusations about Shen Yun Performing Arts. The company that they described is a far cry from the Shen Yun that I know. 14 years. That’s how long I’ve been associated with Shen Yun, whether through performing in practicum as part of my school curriculum or as a full-time employed dancer. 14 years is no short time, and I view them as the most important years of my life. From the very first day, I could tell this company was different. I remember one of the veteran dancers, Seb, spent a lot of his own time teaching me about life on and off the stage. He took me shopping for tour essentials, introduced me to the contents of a makeup bag, and taught me many life hacks that I still use to this day. But most importantly, he instilled in me the importance of responsibility and selflessness. He was in charge of the male dancers in our troupe, and I could see his work ethic and the way he carried himself every single day. It was never about him. No matter if he had a bad day or had something on his mind, he was always ready to help others with a smile on his face. Through his actions, he showed me that only by being selfless can you impact others in a positive way. I started slowly tearing down my protective walls and tried to become more open and selfless. Seb was just one example; there are hundreds of others here at Shen Yun. In the span of 18 years, we’ve grown from one company to eight. We started from nothing, and now we’re a top-class performing arts company that tours around the world every year. And every year we come up with a whole new program. Every. Single. Year. How is that even possible? There are people accusing us of ridiculous things that I don’t even want to mention. Our success wouldn’t be possible if those accusations were even half true. The results and success of Shen Yun are a testament that what we are doing is right, and the audience reviews and the impact that Shen Yun has prove it. I remember receiving a letter from an audience member in London. It was written in Polish. It thanked me and all the members of the company for our performance and urged us to keep pushing forward. These little gestures mean the world to us and give us motivation to keep striving for greatness. 14 years later, I often think back to all the lessons I learned from veteran dancers. And now that I’m the veteran, I strive to impart the wisdom of my predecessors to the newer generation. Shen Yun has been able to succeed all these years because no one is living for themselves. It is about helping others, making each other better. And that is the lesson I will always keep in my heart.

Some recently published media reports paint a disturbing picture of Shen Yun Performing Arts, which bears no resemblance to the lived experience of our performers and staff.?These twisted portrayals of the company veer far from reality,?and grossly distort Shen Yun’s workplace culture, the quality of life of our artists, as well as the teachings and beliefs of our Falun Gong faith.? ? Read our full official statement on the media’s recent misrepresentations:?https://sypa.us/statement?