Evan: Dancing for Dreams

My son Zixiang is 8 years old this year. Last Saturday was a special day for him and his dance companions. They participated in the “Believe Dance Competition” for the first time and won four awards, including the highest award in their category and a special honor award from the judges, “Beyond The Stage”. The judges praised them, saying, “Their dance not only demonstrates skill but also breaks the boundaries of the stage with their body language, storytelling, and inner energy, bringing the audience into the world of the story they are presenting.”

This statement from the judges struck a chord with me.

What exactly is dance for? If it is only about seeking higher technical skills and winning more awards, then its meaning would stop there. But if dance can transcend the stage and forms, touch hearts, then it gains deeper value. And this is the inspiration that Shen Yun has brought to me and why my family supports Zixiang in pursuing his dream of becoming a dancer in Shen Yun, a dream he has had since he was five years old.

All of this traces back to the first time he watched Shen Yun perform.

When Zixiang was five years old, he watched Shen Yun for the first time. Back then, he was just a little child. As the lights dimmed, his feet were still swinging on the edge of the theater seat. When the curtains opened, mist rose on the stage, celestial maidens danced, painting a heavenly scene. He seemed frozen, his eyes bright, fixed on the stage unwilling to blink.

After the performance, he took my hand, excitedly saying, “Dad, I want to dance that in the future.”

At that time, he may not have understood the weight of those words, just simply captivated by the stories on stage and the unique charm of Chinese classical dance. But since then, he has developed a strong interest in traditional Chinese culture, being deeply fascinated by the stories of heroes from “Journey to the West,” “Romance of the Three Kingdoms,” and “Water Margin,” and has started learning Chinese classical dance in earnest. The words “Shen Yun performer” remained on his lips, gradually evolving from a child’s joke into a firm aspiration.

Over the years, whenever Shen Yun came, Zixiang would go watch it. Not only did he become more devoted to dance, but he also shaped himself bit by bit. Learning to endure hardship in practicing basic skills, becoming more focused when learning dance movements, and understanding perseverance in the face of difficulties. Every bit of progress he made, I witnessed with pride, qualities that are essential for a Shen Yun performer.

As a photographer who has followed Shen Yun for 18 years and undergone dance training with them, I understand better than anyone the growth and rewards this path can bring to children.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to learn dance with Shen Yun. Although I didn’t eventually become a professional dancer, those ten months of experience still shape me to this day. At Shen Yun, it was not just dance training but more significantly the molding of one’s character, sense of responsibility, and teamwork.

At Shen Yun, the first lesson in dance is not about technique but character. Every Shen Yun performer must first learn to be a righteous and kind individual.

We had intense training every day, our bodies exhausted, yet no one complained. We helped each other with no malicious competition, just genuine support and mutual growth from within. A classmate struggling with a somersault, failing repeatedly, when they finally succeeded, the classroom erupted into joyful cheers from classmates supporting them.

At Shen Yun, the pursuit of art knows no bounds. With every leap, every turn, the dancers constantly challenge their limits, deeply pondering the meaning conveyed through their movements, striving to present the most perfect performance to the audience. Dance is not just a display of skills but a form of cultivation – of the body, of willpower, and more importantly, of the spirit.

At Shen Yun, every member not only acts as a performer but also carries the responsibility of the team. During tours, performers are responsible for props, costumes, setting up the stage before shows, packing up afterward; no one considers these tasks as something “actors shouldn’t do.” Here, there are no celebrities, only a group willing to endure hardship for art, to preserve and revive traditional Chinese culture, and to uphold the beliefs of “Truth, Compassion, Tolerance”.

Today, some of the partners who once sweated with me have grown into lead dancers and key performers of Shen Yun. They exude righteousness and extraordinary grace. They are not just skilled dancers but individuals radiating an inner brilliance that is truly touching, a confidence that comes from accumulated cultivation and beliefs. How could I not wish for Zixiang to grow into such a person one day?

From the age of five until now, Zixiang has held onto his promise. He gradually understood that dance is not just an art of the body but also an expression of the soul. A remarkable dancer not only perfects the movements but also ensures their inner self is pure and powerful enough.

I remember a time when Zixiang and his companions participated in an outdoor community performance, but suddenly a heavy rain poured, causing the audience to disperse and the event to halt. We intended to leave as well, but they made a decision; if they had come this far, even without an audience, they wanted to perform the prepared dance routine in its entirety.

The rain poured heavily, I stood below the stage watching these young children, soaked through, feet in pools of water, yet their movements were precise, formation orderly. Honestly, their surprise decision and actions at that moment both amazed and deeply moved me.

In this competition, Zixiang and his companions performed “Warriors of the Divine Land,” a powerful dance. They put in a lot of effort; from choreography to rehearsal, multiple adjustments were made to polish every movement. The night before the competition, they even had extra rehearsal. Looking at these sweaty children, one question kept popping up in my mind – how can such young children persevere?

The answer is simple, they have love and faith in their hearts.

So, when they stood on the stage, dancing with full concentration, I knew it was not just the result of their practice but a manifestation of their inner selves. And when the judges awarded them with the “Beyond the Stage” award, I understood that their dance was no longer merely about completing a set of movements but about transmitting energy.

After receiving their awards, the children were extremely excited. They wanted to continue the night by watching Shen Yun’s performance. That day, they woke up before six in the morning, spending the entire day rehearsing, competing, receiving awards… I thought they would be exhausted, dozing off in the theater, but as the performance began, I saw their eyes light up again, just like the first time Zixiang watched Shen Yun at the age of five. At that moment, I felt that genuine love is tireless.

For 18 years, I have followed Shen Yun, capturing those beautiful moments with my lens, witnessing the growth of one batch of young artists after another. I have seen how they transform from ordinary youths into dazzling artists on stage. More importantly, they have grown into individuals who are internally and externally cultivated, with hearts full of kindness.

They spread beauty through their art, revive culture through dance, and on the world stage, show the true beauty of traditional Chinese culture to inspire kindness and reflection on the values of life.

Now, my child is walking on this path, and I am willing to support him wholeheartedly, to accompany him on his journey towards his dream. This is not just about protecting a dream but also about hoping for him to become a better person, standing on the stage, transmitting the purest art and sincerest beauty to the world.

The article was reprinted from “Clean World” Channel.