An Aussie’s Journey

Back when I joined Fei Tian in 2013, I was a typical fourteen-year-old: rebellious, fearless, and overflowing with ego. My parents sent me here hoping the environment could guide my growth and provide me with opportunities I wouldn’t be able to attain elsewhere. I was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and proud of it. As a high schooler there, I was looking forward to the work experience opportunities provided in tenth grade (or Year 10, as us Aussies call it). I was excited to help out in a random cafe or experience being a teller. But the opportunities provided to me by Fei Tian’s practicum program exceeded my wildest dreams. Imagine suddenly receiving the chance to travel around the globe, performing on world-famous stages and experiencing new cultures, all without needing to pay a single cent. This golden opportunity was literally handed to me, and I will always feel deeply honored and thankful.

Still, you can’t have the good times without the bad. I’m sure any dancer would agree that dancing is very hard work. Sweat and tears are your constant companions. I happen to be pretty uncoordinated—the type to trip over my feet as I walk down the street—and I’m not naturally flexible, so dancing is undeniably difficult for me. But my teachers and classmates at Fei Tian all work together to provide me support in any way they can. Some might think the teaching methods employed are spartan, or that teachers beat out your self-confidence until there’s none left, but personally, I’ve never felt that way. Sure, teachers or choreographers might sometimes speak in a harsher tone when they point out problems or areas that need improvement, but I never feel this harshness is targeted at me, personally. Instead, it’s directed at what I need to fix and improve in order to grow as a dancer and actor. No matter what happens, at the end of the day, I know those same teachers and choreographers will unconditionally lend me a hand if I’m ever in need of help.

The process of improving my flexibility has been difficult and painful, enlightening me to the existence of tendons, muscles, and bones I didn’t even realize I had. It’s easier for some dancers and harder for others, but it’s an experience we all go through. The fact that I didn’t start dance until the age of fourteen made things even harder—many people start dance or gymnastics before they’re seven. The same goes for learning techniques and flips; somehow, my mind and body just don’t enjoy working together. My mind knows what to do and understands the application, process, and desired result, but when my body joins in, everything goes down the drain. My legs won’t go where they’re supposed to, my eyes spin, and I find myself lying splat on the floor instead of completing my front aerial.

Dance is most definitely not all sunshine and flowers, but I draw strength from the people around me. I’m not prone to crying and consider myself mentally resilient, but every time I feel the unwavering support of my teachers and peers, tears come to my eyes. The suffering that comes with dance is certainly not something I love, and the training is rigorous, strict, and tiring. But all that is nothing compared to the happiness I feel when I see myself improve, or the joy of standing onstage with my friends to the thunderous sounds of cheering and clapping. Such moments are more than worth the effort.

There have always been inquiries and widespread discussions regarding Fei Tian, Shen Yun, and Dragon Springs, and I can understand why. If a large group of mostly Asians moved into my neighborhood and rapidly expanded, establishing an arts school and a world-class performing arts company, I’d also be freaked out, especially if I didn’t know who they were. But there are reasons behind our emphasis on privacy.

Like any other private school, Fei Tian does what it needs to protect its students from any possible threats. To many, the measures may seem excessive, but they’re very necessary because the threats we face are literally on a whole other level. I, like many others at Fei Tian, am a Falun Dafa practitioner. Like most other spiritual beliefs, this practice is banned in China. Although this may sound similar to the concept of banning phones in school, it’s not nearly so harmless. Unlike people who are lucky enough to study or live in free countries like the US or Australia, people in China have no freedom of belief. Falun Dafa practitioners face severe and horrifying persecution there, and although we work hard to bring this truth to light, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tries just as hard to beat us down, using any means necessary.

Back in 2014, I visited New York City with a few friends on our day off—we were excited and eager to explore. As we walked down the streets in our school jackets, a gang of middle-aged Chinese ladies stopped us in our tracks. They started ranting at us in Chinese, pulling at our jackets, filming us on their phones, and questioning us about our school, our names, our parents, and our belief in Falun Dafa. We were only around sixteen at the time and were left shocked and close to tears. Thankfully, bystanders started gathering and the ladies were forced to disperse.

Looking back, I think we were lucky it ended so simply—it could've been worse, a lot worse. This was just a mild case, but it showed us on a personal level that the threat we face is all too real. During tour, Shen Yun has faced bomb threats, shootings, and oppression from CCP members. Last year, in an attempt to cancel our shows and instill fear in our performers, they threatened to bomb theaters in Australia, Taiwan, and Korea. In 2017, there were Chinese protestors crowded outside our venue in New Zealand, causing chaos. However, when someone asked what they were doing, they said they had no idea whatsoever—they’d simply been offered $20 to stand there. These are just a few instances I’ve personally experienced regarding CCP interference.                                        

The Chinese government persistently interferes with us, spinning lies and working with other organizations to slander Fei Tian, Shen Yun, and my spiritual belief, Falun Dafa. People will inevitably have their own views and opinions on Fei Tian and Shen Yun, but personally, my own experiences have been positive ones. I have faith that no matter what, in the end, the truth will shine through.