My Journey with Shen Yun

I’m Angela Xiao, and I’m currently a dancer with Shen Yun Performing Arts.

I remember back when I was still attending Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, I reconnected with some old friends from my elementary school in Vancouver. As we reminisced about the past and chatted about our present lives, we came upon the topic of our futures. It was clear that everyone had different dreams. One of my friends wanted to major in music, another wanted to major in psychology, and some simply didn’t know what the future would hold for them. As for me, I had already begun my journey.

Years later, I continued on to Fei Tian College. During summer vacation I went back and met my friends in Vancouver again. To my surprise, almost all of them had chosen to major in business or other practical fields. Instead of pursuing the dream paths they originally wanted, they chose to focus on securing their futures in a more conventional way. I suddenly realized how few people in this world actually get to live the life of their dreams. And somehow, I was one of those lucky few. At this point, I realized how fortunate I was to have stayed on the path of my choice, attending Fei Tian Academy, Fei Tian College, and eventually joining Shen Yun Performing Arts.

I was born in China. Our family moved to Vancouver when I was four years old. Even though I grew up in Canada, I was lucky to have my grandparents around. They would keep me connected to my roots by telling me many Chinese stories, fantasies, and myths. I was intrigued by these stories and I grew up imagining what it would be like to live in a majestic ancient Chinese palace. One day, Shen Yun came to our city to perform. As I watched the performance, I was deeply drawn to the grandeur of classical Chinese dance and the beauty of my childhood stories come to life onstage. I decided that I wanted to attend Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. Oddly enough, during intermission, the audience member sitting next to me suddenly pointed to the stage and asked, “Are you part of them?” Surprised, I said no. But now, looking back, it was as if everything was meant to be.

Fei Tian Academy and Fei Tian College provided me with the perfect opportunity to dive deep into Chinese culture and also learn the purest, most traditional form of classical Chinese dance. Not only did I study dance, I also had the privilege to participate in a practicum program that allowed me to tour with Shen Yun. This was as close as I could get to my childhood fantasy of living in a Chinese court. Role-playing as different characters for different dance pieces was also a dream come true. But of course, as all things go, it wasn’t always easy. I remember the first time I had to portray the Goddess of Mercy, I felt extremely self-conscious as the only person in the role. The teacher told me to portray the goddess’ grandeur and majesty, but all I felt at the moment was awkwardness and embarrassment. I suddenly felt the classroom was so big and daunting, and I was so small and shriveled I couldn’t possibly feel grand or majestic. Later on, I came to realize that I only felt that way because I was thinking too much about myself. In order to better portray the Goddess of Mercy, I had to let go of myself and look at the bigger picture. I wasn’t playing the role to show off; instead, I was doing it to share with people what I love—Chinese culture. While dancing with Shen Yun, I also learned the importance of many other values, such as teamwork. Even when it felt like I was handling something on my own, there were always people around to support me. When I struggle with a move, a role, or a dance technique, I was surprised to find there was always someone ready to help.

The environment here is also very precious to me. When I was in school, my classmates and I would sometimes try to take a quick nap between periods, and sometimes it would be hard to wake up for the next class. On one such day, the teacher came in, took a look at us, and said, “Sorry everyone, I know all of you are tired, but it’s time for class now.” This suddenly woke me up. Did I just hear the teacher apologize for beginning class? Another time, a different teacher surprised me by saying, “If you are really tired during class, just nap for a few minutes before joining back in. It’s better than struggling to stay awake.” The kindness and consideration shown by the faculty actually made me more determined to do better in my courses. They showed me how kindness can guide people, and I was thus inspired to be more patient and understanding when helping my own classmates.

Another intriguing aspect of this environment is its ever-changing nature. I grew up as an only child. I was constantly looking for something to do and finding activities to alleviate my boredom. While performing with Shen Yun, however, this is never an issue. There’s always something new to learn. Each year brings a new performance, new surprises, new challenges, and new opportunities to learn and grow. For someone like me, who doesn’t like doing the same thing for too long, this is just perfect.

Looking back on my journey, I can hardly believe where I’ve ended up. From learning Chinese culture to reliving it in front of millions of audience members, from performing on prestigious stages to visiting famous historical sites around the world, the opportunities I’ve received are endless. The experience I gained, the paths that I walked, and the friends that I made are far more than what I had hoped for. Choosing this path has sculpted me into a better person and created countless memories beyond anything I could have dreamed of. As someone lucky enough to successfully pursue my childhood dream all the way until now, I’m grateful I followed my passion and allowed it to lead me to such incredible heights. And it was all made possible by the amazing environment I found here at Fei Tian and Shen Yun.