[{"id":"52948","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"inside-shen-yun-dancer-perseverance-purpose","parentId":"0","userId":"46","sectionId":"31","contentTypeId":"11","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2026-02-25 10:09:55","timePublished":"2026-02-25 10:03:07","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2026-02-25 10:12:32","orderByTime":"2026-02-25 10:03:07","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"A Dancer\u2019s Journey of Perseverance and Purpose","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"0","commentDisplay":"0","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"0","status":"1","metaDescription":"Shen Yun dancer Felix Sun reflects on his journey performing with Shen Yun Performing Arts for more than a decade, and how perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery have shaped him both on and off the stage. \r\n\r\nFelix shares what it takes to grow as a performer, how he prepares for roles, and why understanding the message behind each piece is just as important as mastering the technique. He also speaks candidly about misunderstandings surrounding Shen Yun.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Inside Shen Yun: A Dancer\u2019s Journey of Perseverance and Purpose","userModified":"46","notes":"","contentTypeName":"video","totalCount":"4","username":"jingx","userUpdated":"jingx","sectionName":"(English) Videos","extra":{"id":"4030","contentId":"52948","typeId":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"22664","imageIdPreview":"22664","imageIdFeatured":"0","imageIdFeaturedDesktop":"0","imageIdFeaturedMobile":"0","imageFacebookShare":"0","videoLink":"","videoLink480":"","videoLink720":"","videoLink1080":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"1ib17r7qr58dbmMpge4jTuf8g1h21c","embeddedVideoSYC":"","onDemandLink":"","length":"03:40","featured":"0","onCityPage":"0","description":"Shen Yun dancer Felix Sun reflects on his journey performing with Shen Yun Performing Arts for more than a decade, and how perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery have shaped him both on and off the stage.","descriptionLong":"Shen Yun dancer Felix Sun reflects on his journey performing with Shen Yun Performing Arts for more than a decade, and how perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery have shaped him both on and off the stage. \r\n\r\nFelix shares what it takes to grow as a performer, how he prepares for roles, and why understanding the message behind each piece is just as important as mastering the technique. He also speaks candidly about misunderstandings surrounding Shen Yun.","tag":"Inside Shen Yun","fileSize":"0","fileName":"","operationStatus":"0","convertFileName":null,"defaultFramePosition":"00:00:05","defaultFrameExist":"0","serverId":"12","embeddedVideoVimeo":"","embeddedVideoYT":"","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","showOnVideoSection":"1","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0"},"ext":{"id":"4030","contentId":"52948","typeId":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"22664","imageIdPreview":"22664","imageIdFeatured":"0","imageIdFeaturedDesktop":"0","imageIdFeaturedMobile":"0","imageFacebookShare":"0","videoLink":"","videoLink480":"","videoLink720":"","videoLink1080":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"1ib17r7qr58dbmMpge4jTuf8g1h21c","embeddedVideoSYC":"","onDemandLink":"","length":"03:40","featured":"0","onCityPage":"0","description":"Shen Yun dancer Felix Sun reflects on his journey performing with Shen Yun Performing Arts for more than a decade, and how perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery have shaped him both on and off the stage.","descriptionLong":"Shen Yun dancer Felix Sun reflects on his journey performing with Shen Yun Performing Arts for more than a decade, and how perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery have shaped him both on and off the stage. \r\n\r\nFelix shares what it takes to grow as a performer, how he prepares for roles, and why understanding the message behind each piece is just as important as mastering the technique. He also speaks candidly about misunderstandings surrounding Shen Yun.","tag":"Inside Shen Yun","fileSize":"0","fileName":"","operationStatus":"0","convertFileName":null,"defaultFramePosition":"00:00:05","defaultFrameExist":"0","serverId":"12","embeddedVideoVimeo":"","embeddedVideoYT":"","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","showOnVideoSection":"1","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageForVideo":{"fileId":"22664","fileName":"InsideSY-Felix-thumb.jpg","title":"InsideSY Felix Thumb","alt":"InsideSY Felix Thumb","timeCreated":"2026-02-25 10:05:58","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/02\/25\/87c7574c5d15873bb3e824068262daa6.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2026\/02\/25\/87c7574c5d15873bb3e824068262daa6.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2026\/02\/25\/87c7574c5d15873bb3e824068262daa6.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2026\/02\/25\/87c7574c5d15873bb3e824068262daa6.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2026\/02\/25\/87c7574c5d15873bb3e824068262daa6.jpg"}},"eId":"MuCUaO_RfTM","eid":"MuCUaO_RfTM","sectionEId":"t7zbAW04JcU","contentTypeEId":"XqK8vkdo1K8","timeDisplay":"February 25, 2026","seoUrl":"_MuCUaO_RfTM\/inside-shen-yun-dancer-perseverance-purpose.html","url":"\/videos\/latest-videos\/play\/MuCUaO_RfTM\/inside-shen-yun-dancer-perseverance-purpose.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"Videos"},{"id":"52934","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"lunar-chinese-new-year-celebration-renewal-hope","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"25","contentTypeId":"6","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2026-02-16 01:34:41","timePublished":"2026-02-16 01:26:48","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2026-02-25 10:28:52","orderByTime":"2026-02-16 01:26:48","ip":"72.43.130.26","title":"The Lunar New Year: A Time-Honored Celebration of Renewal and Hope","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"This week, families around the world prepare for one of the most cherished and widely celebrated festivals of traditional culture\u2014the Lunar New Year. For millennia, this holiday has marked not merely the turning of the calendar, but a profound moment of renewal, gratitude, and reunion.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"The Lunar New Year: A Time-Honored Celebration of Renewal and Hope","userModified":"46","notes":"","contentTypeName":"news","totalCount":"699","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"jingx","sectionName":"(English) News","extra":{"id":"24841","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52934","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"0","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"Shen Yun celebrates the Year of the Horse on the road.","body":"<p>This week, families around the world prepare for one of the most cherished and widely celebrated festivals of traditional culture&mdash;the Lunar New Year. For millennia, this holiday has marked not merely the turning of the calendar, but a profound moment of renewal, gratitude, and reunion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Guided by the lunisolar calendar, the Chinese New Year arrives with the second new moon after the winter solstice, usually between late January and mid-February. It opens fifteen days of celebration, culminating in the Lantern Festival, a radiant farewell to (hopefully) the harshest days of winter and a joyful welcome to the year ahead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>At its heart, the holiday reflects a worldview deeply rooted in harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind&mdash;a theme that has shaped Chinese civilization for millennia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Shen Yun Celebrates on the Road<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video style=\"object-fit: cover;\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/02\/25\/005f441a9cc1899a77591ccf67fd8cf7.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2026\/Chinese New Year Greetings_2026.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><br \/>During the Chinese New Year, Shen Yun&rsquo;s artists aren&rsquo;t gathered in one place celebrating together&mdash;instead, they&rsquo;re bringing joy to audiences across the globe. With eight equally sized touring companies performing simultaneously, Shen Yun&rsquo;s performers will be taking the stage this week in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/victoria\/victoria-fine-arts-center\">Victoria<\/a> (TX), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/augusta\/columbia-county-performing-arts-center\">Augusta<\/a> (GA), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/ftlauderdale\/broward-center-for-the-performing-arts-%E2%80%93-au-rene-theatre\">Fort Lauderdale<\/a> (FL) in the United States, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/roma\/auditorium-della-conciliazione\">Rome<\/a> (Italy), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/stoke-on-trent\/regent-theatre\">Stoke-on-Trent<\/a> (England), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/nantes\/cit%C3%A9-des-congr%C3%A8s-de-nantes\">Nantes<\/a> (France), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/lausanne\/th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre-de-beaulieu\">Lausanne<\/a> (Switzerland), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/daegu\/suseong-artpia-grand-hall\">Daegu <\/a>(South Korea).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But even on tour, each troupe will typically have its own party, replete with dumpling-folding challenges, games, and ridiculous amounts of good food.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Performers also prepare often-whimsical videos in celebration that are played back at headquarters in New York for those who stayed back on campus, as well as on the buses of the other troupes on tour. It&rsquo;s a nice opportunity to see what your friends have been up to around the world.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But let&rsquo;s take a look at the more traditional way the Chinese New Year has been celebrated for generations&mdash;perhaps you would like to join in on the fun this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Sweeping Away the Old, Inviting the New<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Preparations begin well before New Year&rsquo;s Day. Homes are thoroughly cleaned, symbolically sweeping away misfortune and making space for blessings to enter. Soon afterward, vibrant decorations appear: lanterns glowing softly, paper cuttings adorning windows, and poetic couplets framing doorways.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Equally important is the renewal of human relationships. Families reconcile differences and express gratitude, reminding us that prosperity begins with harmony in the heart.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The Reunion Dinner: A Table Filled with Blessings<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>On New Year&rsquo;s Eve, loved ones travel great distances to gather for the reunion dinner, the most meaningful meal of the year. Each dish is rich with symbolism, expressing hopes for the future: Fish for abundance year after year; dumplings shaped like ancient gold ingots for wealth; noodles for a long and healthy life; and sweet rice cakes for rising achievement (these are called <em>nian gao<\/em> in Chinese, which can also mean &ldquo;higher year after year&rdquo;).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Sharing this feast is not simply a culinary tradition, it&rsquo;s an affirmation of unity, continuity, and mutual care across generations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Festivities that Illuminate the Night<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As midnight approaches, fireworks and firecrackers burst into life, their thunderous echoes believed to dispel evil and usher in auspicious energy. In the days that follow, communities come alive with dances, fairs, visits among relatives, and heartfelt greetings exchanged with neighbors and friends.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The celebrations conclude with the Lantern Festival, when countless glowing lanterns illuminate streets and skies. Their gentle light symbolizes wisdom, hope, and the bright path forward into spring. In fact, Shen Yun had a dance about this holiday, aptly called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_df485c95e68e47e29a3b47bb963a2624\/Early-Shen-Yun-Pieces-Lantern-Joy-(2014-Production)\">Lantern Joy<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The Year of the Horse: Strength, Freedom, and Noble Spirit<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Each Lunar New Year also ushers in a new animal in the twelve-year zodiac cycle. This is the Year of the Horse, a sign long admired in Chinese tradition for its vigor, loyalty, and indomitable spirit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The horse symbolizes speed, endurance, and the courage to journey great distances. It evokes images of heroes riding forth to accomplish great deeds and messengers delivering good news with swiftness. A horse year is therefore often associated with progress, opportunity, and forward momentum&mdash;a time to pursue worthy goals with confidence and determination.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This cycle is further imbued with the dynamic qualities of fire, suggesting heightened energy and transformative potential.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p><strong>A Festival That Transcends Time<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Beyond the festive customs lies a deeper message. The Lunar New Year invites reflection on what truly endures: family bonds, moral values, gratitude for blessings received, and hope for a brighter future. It&rsquo;s a moment to leave behind resentment, to renew aspirations, and to step forward with clarity and purpose.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>While times may, and <em>are<\/em>, changing, these ancient traditions offer a reassuring continuity&mdash;a reminder that the fundamental principles of kindness, perseverance, and harmony remain constant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The Year of the Horse arrives with a call to move forward bravely, guided by wisdom and uplifted by hope.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>From all of us in Shen Yun, may the new year bring you peace, health, and abundant blessings.<\/strong><\/p>","contentRelated":"52594,52767,52860","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22660","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":"22663","imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":"22661","readDuration":""},"ext":{"id":"24841","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52934","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"0","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"Shen Yun celebrates the Year of the Horse on the road.","body":"<p>This week, families around the world prepare for one of the most cherished and widely celebrated festivals of traditional culture&mdash;the Lunar New Year. For millennia, this holiday has marked not merely the turning of the calendar, but a profound moment of renewal, gratitude, and reunion.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Guided by the lunisolar calendar, the Chinese New Year arrives with the second new moon after the winter solstice, usually between late January and mid-February. It opens fifteen days of celebration, culminating in the Lantern Festival, a radiant farewell to (hopefully) the harshest days of winter and a joyful welcome to the year ahead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>At its heart, the holiday reflects a worldview deeply rooted in harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind&mdash;a theme that has shaped Chinese civilization for millennia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Shen Yun Celebrates on the Road<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video style=\"object-fit: cover;\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/02\/25\/005f441a9cc1899a77591ccf67fd8cf7.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2026\/Chinese New Year Greetings_2026.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><br \/>During the Chinese New Year, Shen Yun&rsquo;s artists aren&rsquo;t gathered in one place celebrating together&mdash;instead, they&rsquo;re bringing joy to audiences across the globe. With eight equally sized touring companies performing simultaneously, Shen Yun&rsquo;s performers will be taking the stage this week in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/victoria\/victoria-fine-arts-center\">Victoria<\/a> (TX), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/augusta\/columbia-county-performing-arts-center\">Augusta<\/a> (GA), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/ftlauderdale\/broward-center-for-the-performing-arts-%E2%80%93-au-rene-theatre\">Fort Lauderdale<\/a> (FL) in the United States, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/roma\/auditorium-della-conciliazione\">Rome<\/a> (Italy), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/stoke-on-trent\/regent-theatre\">Stoke-on-Trent<\/a> (England), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/nantes\/cit%C3%A9-des-congr%C3%A8s-de-nantes\">Nantes<\/a> (France), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/lausanne\/th%C3%A9%C3%A2tre-de-beaulieu\">Lausanne<\/a> (Switzerland), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/daegu\/suseong-artpia-grand-hall\">Daegu <\/a>(South Korea).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>But even on tour, each troupe will typically have its own party, replete with dumpling-folding challenges, games, and ridiculous amounts of good food.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Performers also prepare often-whimsical videos in celebration that are played back at headquarters in New York for those who stayed back on campus, as well as on the buses of the other troupes on tour. It&rsquo;s a nice opportunity to see what your friends have been up to around the world.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But let&rsquo;s take a look at the more traditional way the Chinese New Year has been celebrated for generations&mdash;perhaps you would like to join in on the fun this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Sweeping Away the Old, Inviting the New<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Preparations begin well before New Year&rsquo;s Day. Homes are thoroughly cleaned, symbolically sweeping away misfortune and making space for blessings to enter. Soon afterward, vibrant decorations appear: lanterns glowing softly, paper cuttings adorning windows, and poetic couplets framing doorways.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Equally important is the renewal of human relationships. Families reconcile differences and express gratitude, reminding us that prosperity begins with harmony in the heart.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The Reunion Dinner: A Table Filled with Blessings<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>On New Year&rsquo;s Eve, loved ones travel great distances to gather for the reunion dinner, the most meaningful meal of the year. Each dish is rich with symbolism, expressing hopes for the future: Fish for abundance year after year; dumplings shaped like ancient gold ingots for wealth; noodles for a long and healthy life; and sweet rice cakes for rising achievement (these are called <em>nian gao<\/em> in Chinese, which can also mean &ldquo;higher year after year&rdquo;).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Sharing this feast is not simply a culinary tradition, it&rsquo;s an affirmation of unity, continuity, and mutual care across generations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Festivities that Illuminate the Night<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>As midnight approaches, fireworks and firecrackers burst into life, their thunderous echoes believed to dispel evil and usher in auspicious energy. In the days that follow, communities come alive with dances, fairs, visits among relatives, and heartfelt greetings exchanged with neighbors and friends.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The celebrations conclude with the Lantern Festival, when countless glowing lanterns illuminate streets and skies. Their gentle light symbolizes wisdom, hope, and the bright path forward into spring. In fact, Shen Yun had a dance about this holiday, aptly called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_df485c95e68e47e29a3b47bb963a2624\/Early-Shen-Yun-Pieces-Lantern-Joy-(2014-Production)\">Lantern Joy<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The Year of the Horse: Strength, Freedom, and Noble Spirit<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Each Lunar New Year also ushers in a new animal in the twelve-year zodiac cycle. This is the Year of the Horse, a sign long admired in Chinese tradition for its vigor, loyalty, and indomitable spirit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The horse symbolizes speed, endurance, and the courage to journey great distances. It evokes images of heroes riding forth to accomplish great deeds and messengers delivering good news with swiftness. A horse year is therefore often associated with progress, opportunity, and forward momentum&mdash;a time to pursue worthy goals with confidence and determination.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>This cycle is further imbued with the dynamic qualities of fire, suggesting heightened energy and transformative potential.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p><strong>A Festival That Transcends Time<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Beyond the festive customs lies a deeper message. The Lunar New Year invites reflection on what truly endures: family bonds, moral values, gratitude for blessings received, and hope for a brighter future. It&rsquo;s a moment to leave behind resentment, to renew aspirations, and to step forward with clarity and purpose.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>While times may, and <em>are<\/em>, changing, these ancient traditions offer a reassuring continuity&mdash;a reminder that the fundamental principles of kindness, perseverance, and harmony remain constant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The Year of the Horse arrives with a call to move forward bravely, guided by wisdom and uplifted by hope.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>From all of us in Shen Yun, may the new year bring you peace, health, and abundant blessings.<\/strong><\/p>","contentRelated":"52594,52767,52860","tag":"","url":"","imageId":"22660","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22663","fileName":"YearoftheHorse-CNY-2026-HR.jpg","title":"YearoftheHorse CNY 2026 HR","alt":"YearoftheHorse CNY 2026 HR","timeCreated":"2026-02-16 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2026","seoUrl":"_JnzONzO5eeU\/lunar-chinese-new-year-celebration-renewal-hope.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/JnzONzO5eeU\/lunar-chinese-new-year-celebration-renewal-hope.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"News"},{"id":"52848","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":null,"parentId":"0","userId":"36","sectionId":"25","contentTypeId":"6","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2026-01-16 17:34:10","timePublished":"2026-02-08 08:00:00","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2026-02-09 09:55:51","orderByTime":"2026-02-08 08:00:00","ip":"68.173.249.100","title":"Artist Spotlight: Kenji Kobayashi","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"1","commentDisplay":"1","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"","userModified":"36","notes":"","contentTypeName":"news","totalCount":"2079","username":"vivians","userUpdated":"vivians","sectionName":"(English) News","extra":{"id":"24817","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52848","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"<p>Born in Tokyo, Kenji Kobayashi is a talented dancer, incredible photographer, and one of the humblest people you could hope to meet. He won gold at New Tang Dynasty Television&rsquo;s International Classical Chinese Dance Competition in 2016, starred in unforgettable Shen Yun dances like <em>Monkey King at Fire Mountain<\/em> (2017) and <em>Devotion<\/em> (2024), and is a favorite whenever the company returns to his home country of Japan. Let&rsquo;s get to know him a little better.<\/p>","body":"<p>Born in Tokyo, Kenji Kobayashi is a talented dancer, incredible photographer, and one of the humblest people you could hope to meet. He won gold at New Tang Dynasty Television&rsquo;s International Classical Chinese Dance Competition in 2016, starred in unforgettable Shen Yun dances like <em>Monkey King at Fire Mountain<\/em> (2017) and <em>Devotion<\/em> (2024), and is a favorite whenever the company returns to his home country of Japan. Let&rsquo;s get to know him a little better.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><div><div class=\"wn__2col--wrapper\">\r\n                                    <figure style=\"--aspect-ratio:0.63;--aspect-ratio-mobile:0.63;\" class=\"wn__2col--left AspectRatio\">\r\n                                        <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/16\/e51ba02c4a70ef8a1a52a987473f3dee.jpg\" \/>\r\n                                    <\/figure>\r\n                                    <div class=\"wn__2col--right\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"profile__wrapper\">\r\n                                            <h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Kenji Kobayashi<\/h2>\r\n                                            <div class=\"profile__info\">\r\n                                                <li><strong>Born in<\/strong> Tokyo, Japan<\/li>\r\n                                                <li><strong>Performing with Shen Yun since<\/strong> 2010<\/li>\r\n                                            <\/div>\r\n                                            <p>&ldquo;To give others hope and joy&mdash;that is the deepest meaning of my life.<br \/>Great art awakens kindness, faith, and reverence for something higher than ourselves.<br \/>Twenty years ago, Shen Yun inspired me.<br \/>Today, I stand on this stage, continuing that inspiration and sharing it with the world.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n                                        <\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div> \r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;margin-top:3rem;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><br \/><strong>15 Questions with Kenji<br \/><br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>When did you first become interested in dance?<\/strong><br \/>In 2006, when I was nine years old&mdash;I watched a Shen Yun performance in Japan for the first time, and I was completely blown away by the dancers on stage. I still remember the piece <em>Mongolian Grasslands<\/em>. I couldn&rsquo;t stop thinking about it afterward, especially one of the dance movements. When I got home, I would keep performing that move for my mom every day. Later, I found out it was a Chinese dance technique called &ldquo;circle jump.&rdquo; From that day on, I dreamt of becoming a performer like them.<\/p><p>Another reason is that, even though I was young, I understood that Shen Yun reveals the Chinese Communist Party&rsquo;s persecution of Falun Gong. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/artists\/play\/E7i1qGyNQn0\/principal-dancer-kenji-kobayashi-family-story-faith.html\" target=\"_blank\">My grandmother<\/a> had been illegally detained in a labor camp by the CCP when I was a child. To help rescue her, I handed out flyers and told many people about it, hoping everyone could understand what was really happening.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/17\/ce4c4d595b49a33ce5f485e5672dc2ea.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/17\/ce4c4d595b49a33ce5f485e5672dc2ea.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you like most about performing on stage?<\/strong><br \/>At first, it was that feeling you get when your hard work is recognized&mdash;that made everything worthwhile. Performing is really about giving to the audience, and their response means a lot to us as artists. But over time, I also came to truly enjoy the process just as much&mdash;rehearsing and refining something, and then finally presenting it on stage. I love being on stage, especially when portraying layered and complex characters. I really enjoy exploring their emotions and embodying them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><!-- LEFT ALIGNED NORMAL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n<img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2e195f8d57c07294d52de7d884eb3efd.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"content-image-section-left\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Did you ever have stage fright or a scary moment on stage?<\/strong><br \/>When I first started dancing, yes, I would get nervous. Later, when I became more confident in my dancing, I started feeling less nervous. But back then, I was also a bit arrogant and didn&rsquo;t realize how vast the world of art truly is. After reaching a few bottlenecks in my dance career, I slowly came to recognize how small I was and began to develop a sense of respect toward the world of stage performance. Now, I both enjoy and respect the stage&hellip; I guess that&rsquo;s the balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>With over 100 shows most seasons, how do you keep it fresh and maintain a high artistic standard?<\/strong><br \/>Every show, I tell myself to dance better than I did the previous show because there&rsquo;s always something to improve. You only feel tired when you get complacent. But art has no limits. If your heart stays curious, you&rsquo;ll always find something new. Of course, there are times you hit a plateau, but perseverance is essential.<\/p><p>I&rsquo;ve also thought about how each show is a new audience. Ideally, I&rsquo;d perform every show like it&rsquo;s the first. But realistically, you can&rsquo;t always see the audience clearly, and things can feel repetitive. So you have to find motivation from within to bring each performance to life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think has been the highlight of your dance career so far?<\/strong><br \/>Everything with Shen Yun&mdash;being able to tour around the world with the company, meeting people from different places, experiencing new cultures, cuisines, and breathtaking landscapes! I also love photography, especially taking photos of famous mountains, rivers, and historic sites.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2955b1891d2312da15ded49ea3265930.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2955b1891d2312da15ded49ea3265930.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What role does Falun Dafa play in your life and training?<\/strong><br \/>It&rsquo;s my guiding principle&mdash;it&rsquo;s my compass. In daily life, it&rsquo;s easy to get caught up in emotions, to chase outcomes, to doubt yourself, to complain or blame others. Without Falun Dafa&rsquo;s teachings, I honestly don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d be a good person.<\/p><p>Spiritual practice helps me let go of ego or, to be more honest, to at least walk the path toward letting go of ego. It keeps me from getting lost in the pursuit of fame or gain or living for emotional satisfaction. Sometimes I do lose my way, but the teachings always help me return to the right path, instead of following negative thoughts.<\/p><p>So, I&rsquo;d say Falun Dafa is extremely important to me. In life and in dance, it keeps me rational and kind, always striving to be a better version of myself. I&rsquo;m also very grateful to be surrounded by colleagues, students, and teachers who share the same values. Conflicts can happen anywhere, but my spiritual practice reminds me to look inward rather than blame others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Is life at Shen Yun demanding?<\/strong><br \/>Yes, Shen Yun has very high standards&mdash;for both dance and moral character&mdash;and the standards keep rising, which is how we continue improving. Art is limitless; if you don&rsquo;t progress, you fall behind.<\/p><p>Each new generation of performers is even more talented than the last, which definitely brings pressure, but it also pushes me to grow artistically. <\/p><p>I&rsquo;ve experienced many phases. At first, dance was really hard. Later, seeing results gave me motivation. But eventually, I got stuck. My outlook on life needed a change. When my outlook expanded, an entirely new world opened up. Every phase has its challenges, and often the hardest battles are within yourself. For me, the lesson has been to give my best without obsessing over results.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What makes classical Chinese dance unique?<\/strong><br \/>Classical Chinese dance has a deep historical and cultural foundation, and incredible expressive potential. It&rsquo;s vast and profound. It includes acting, bearing (<em>shen-yun<\/em>), movements and postures (<em>shen-fa<\/em>), and technical skills like flips and jumps. These are all essential to classical Chinese dance. It&rsquo;s an exceptionally rich art form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How do you center yourself before a show? How do you relax after?<\/strong><br \/>Before the show, I just make sure I&rsquo;m warmed up well, I&rsquo;m in my best mental state, and I adjust to however my body feels that day. After performing, I love taking a hot bath to relax both mentally and physically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/24\/aa3a4a66333df4985c7283bbd1a392e2.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/25\/9d2d3d4c4418501fdbc746277be7c56d.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite hobby or pastime, and why?<\/strong><br \/>I love photography, writing poetry, and cooking. When I&rsquo;m moved by a beautiful scene or experience, I like writing poetry. It&rsquo;s my way of talking to myself and capturing my emotions. Even if my writing isn&rsquo;t very good, it&rsquo;s still a way to express feelings. There was a time when I wrote over a hundred poems a year.<\/p><p>Photography, I just love it. No particular reason why.<\/p><p>Recently, I&rsquo;ve especially fallen in love with cooking. It&rsquo;s incredibly relaxing, so rewarding, and I&rsquo;ve learned so much. I cook Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine.<\/p><p>In a way, cooking, photography, and dance are similar: You create something, realize it&rsquo;s different from what you imagined, then study why, experiment again, and learn from it. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is one unexpected difficulty of being on tour?<\/strong><br \/>Definitely the long bus rides.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite place to visit on tour, and why?<\/strong><br \/>Japan! Japan! Japan! I haven&rsquo;t performed there in a long time, but I hope to soon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s the most memorable character you&rsquo;ve performed?<\/strong><br \/>Zhao Yun in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/explore\/view\/article\/e\/mv7Vj8TVYz4\/shen-yun-2023-the-story-of-zhao-yun\" target=\"_blank\">Riding Alone to the Rescue<\/a><\/em>. It&rsquo;s a very expressive and complicated role, full of dramatic ups and downs. It&rsquo;s a role that&rsquo;s very rewarding to perform, but also exhausting. Zhao Yun is loyal, brave, intelligent, and selfless. All these traits, including his sacrifice and devotion, truly moved me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think is the highest level of dance?<\/strong><br \/>In terms of technical skills, it&rsquo;s what we call <em>shen-dai-shou<\/em> (&ldquo;the body leads the hands&rdquo;) and <em>kua-dai-tui<\/em> (&ldquo;the hips lead the legs&rdquo;).  <\/p><p>Once technical ability reaches a certain level, what matters most is cultural depth and what you have inside. It begins with the performer&rsquo;s self-cultivation; that&rsquo;s the most important thing. Artistic refinement lies in how you use your movements and subtleties of expression to make the audience experience something unforgettable. That unique quality, that inner feeling, is what others can&rsquo;t imitate. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could sit down with a younger version of yourself, when you were just starting out as an artist, what would you tell him?<\/strong><br \/>Work harder, even harder. Be humble and don&rsquo;t complain&mdash;just do it.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Shen Yun 2026 is coming together as we speak. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/tickets\" target=\"_blank\">ticketing page<\/a> for the upcoming tour, starting this December. <\/em><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;color:#a2a2a2;font-family: Georgia; text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:10px;\">Featured Video<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Meet Principal Dancer Kenji Kobayashi<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/e21cc1d36a6a93d33f9b72adfea44b8f.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2026\/Kenji-Star-Of-SY\/SYStars_KenjiKobayashi_HD_ENGTrailer.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em><br \/>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_28ba34a8f2d543099e06550a5ee8a038\/Stars-of-Shen-Yun-Kenji-Kobayashi\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> to watch the full video.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"46894","tag":"Artist Spotlight, Featured Artists","url":"","imageId":"22635","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":"22635","imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":"22636","readDuration":""},"ext":{"id":"24817","subtitle":"","location":"","contentId":"52848","importance":"3","isFeaturedNewsArticle":"1","isFeaturedNewsVideo":"1","isShortNews":"0","onCityPage":"0","introduction":"<p>Born in Tokyo, Kenji Kobayashi is a talented dancer, incredible photographer, and one of the humblest people you could hope to meet. He won gold at New Tang Dynasty Television&rsquo;s International Classical Chinese Dance Competition in 2016, starred in unforgettable Shen Yun dances like <em>Monkey King at Fire Mountain<\/em> (2017) and <em>Devotion<\/em> (2024), and is a favorite whenever the company returns to his home country of Japan. Let&rsquo;s get to know him a little better.<\/p>","body":"<p>Born in Tokyo, Kenji Kobayashi is a talented dancer, incredible photographer, and one of the humblest people you could hope to meet. He won gold at New Tang Dynasty Television&rsquo;s International Classical Chinese Dance Competition in 2016, starred in unforgettable Shen Yun dances like <em>Monkey King at Fire Mountain<\/em> (2017) and <em>Devotion<\/em> (2024), and is a favorite whenever the company returns to his home country of Japan. Let&rsquo;s get to know him a little better.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><div><div class=\"wn__2col--wrapper\">\r\n                                    <figure style=\"--aspect-ratio:0.63;--aspect-ratio-mobile:0.63;\" class=\"wn__2col--left AspectRatio\">\r\n                                        <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/16\/e51ba02c4a70ef8a1a52a987473f3dee.jpg\" \/>\r\n                                    <\/figure>\r\n                                    <div class=\"wn__2col--right\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"profile__wrapper\">\r\n                                            <h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Kenji Kobayashi<\/h2>\r\n                                            <div class=\"profile__info\">\r\n                                                <li><strong>Born in<\/strong> Tokyo, Japan<\/li>\r\n                                                <li><strong>Performing with Shen Yun since<\/strong> 2010<\/li>\r\n                                            <\/div>\r\n                                            <p>&ldquo;To give others hope and joy&mdash;that is the deepest meaning of my life.<br \/>Great art awakens kindness, faith, and reverence for something higher than ourselves.<br \/>Twenty years ago, Shen Yun inspired me.<br \/>Today, I stand on this stage, continuing that inspiration and sharing it with the world.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n                                        <\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div> \r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;margin-top:3rem;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><br \/><strong>15 Questions with Kenji<br \/><br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>When did you first become interested in dance?<\/strong><br \/>In 2006, when I was nine years old&mdash;I watched a Shen Yun performance in Japan for the first time, and I was completely blown away by the dancers on stage. I still remember the piece <em>Mongolian Grasslands<\/em>. I couldn&rsquo;t stop thinking about it afterward, especially one of the dance movements. When I got home, I would keep performing that move for my mom every day. Later, I found out it was a Chinese dance technique called &ldquo;circle jump.&rdquo; From that day on, I dreamt of becoming a performer like them.<\/p><p>Another reason is that, even though I was young, I understood that Shen Yun reveals the Chinese Communist Party&rsquo;s persecution of Falun Gong. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/artists\/play\/E7i1qGyNQn0\/principal-dancer-kenji-kobayashi-family-story-faith.html\" target=\"_blank\">My grandmother<\/a> had been illegally detained in a labor camp by the CCP when I was a child. To help rescue her, I handed out flyers and told many people about it, hoping everyone could understand what was really happening.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/17\/ce4c4d595b49a33ce5f485e5672dc2ea.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/17\/ce4c4d595b49a33ce5f485e5672dc2ea.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you like most about performing on stage?<\/strong><br \/>At first, it was that feeling you get when your hard work is recognized&mdash;that made everything worthwhile. Performing is really about giving to the audience, and their response means a lot to us as artists. But over time, I also came to truly enjoy the process just as much&mdash;rehearsing and refining something, and then finally presenting it on stage. I love being on stage, especially when portraying layered and complex characters. I really enjoy exploring their emotions and embodying them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><!-- LEFT ALIGNED NORMAL IMAGE -->\r\n<div>\r\n<img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2e195f8d57c07294d52de7d884eb3efd.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"content-image-section-left\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Did you ever have stage fright or a scary moment on stage?<\/strong><br \/>When I first started dancing, yes, I would get nervous. Later, when I became more confident in my dancing, I started feeling less nervous. But back then, I was also a bit arrogant and didn&rsquo;t realize how vast the world of art truly is. After reaching a few bottlenecks in my dance career, I slowly came to recognize how small I was and began to develop a sense of respect toward the world of stage performance. Now, I both enjoy and respect the stage&hellip; I guess that&rsquo;s the balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>With over 100 shows most seasons, how do you keep it fresh and maintain a high artistic standard?<\/strong><br \/>Every show, I tell myself to dance better than I did the previous show because there&rsquo;s always something to improve. You only feel tired when you get complacent. But art has no limits. If your heart stays curious, you&rsquo;ll always find something new. Of course, there are times you hit a plateau, but perseverance is essential.<\/p><p>I&rsquo;ve also thought about how each show is a new audience. Ideally, I&rsquo;d perform every show like it&rsquo;s the first. But realistically, you can&rsquo;t always see the audience clearly, and things can feel repetitive. So you have to find motivation from within to bring each performance to life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think has been the highlight of your dance career so far?<\/strong><br \/>Everything with Shen Yun&mdash;being able to tour around the world with the company, meeting people from different places, experiencing new cultures, cuisines, and breathtaking landscapes! I also love photography, especially taking photos of famous mountains, rivers, and historic sites.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2955b1891d2312da15ded49ea3265930.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/2955b1891d2312da15ded49ea3265930.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What role does Falun Dafa play in your life and training?<\/strong><br \/>It&rsquo;s my guiding principle&mdash;it&rsquo;s my compass. In daily life, it&rsquo;s easy to get caught up in emotions, to chase outcomes, to doubt yourself, to complain or blame others. Without Falun Dafa&rsquo;s teachings, I honestly don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;d be a good person.<\/p><p>Spiritual practice helps me let go of ego or, to be more honest, to at least walk the path toward letting go of ego. It keeps me from getting lost in the pursuit of fame or gain or living for emotional satisfaction. Sometimes I do lose my way, but the teachings always help me return to the right path, instead of following negative thoughts.<\/p><p>So, I&rsquo;d say Falun Dafa is extremely important to me. In life and in dance, it keeps me rational and kind, always striving to be a better version of myself. I&rsquo;m also very grateful to be surrounded by colleagues, students, and teachers who share the same values. Conflicts can happen anywhere, but my spiritual practice reminds me to look inward rather than blame others.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Is life at Shen Yun demanding?<\/strong><br \/>Yes, Shen Yun has very high standards&mdash;for both dance and moral character&mdash;and the standards keep rising, which is how we continue improving. Art is limitless; if you don&rsquo;t progress, you fall behind.<\/p><p>Each new generation of performers is even more talented than the last, which definitely brings pressure, but it also pushes me to grow artistically. <\/p><p>I&rsquo;ve experienced many phases. At first, dance was really hard. Later, seeing results gave me motivation. But eventually, I got stuck. My outlook on life needed a change. When my outlook expanded, an entirely new world opened up. Every phase has its challenges, and often the hardest battles are within yourself. For me, the lesson has been to give my best without obsessing over results.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What makes classical Chinese dance unique?<\/strong><br \/>Classical Chinese dance has a deep historical and cultural foundation, and incredible expressive potential. It&rsquo;s vast and profound. It includes acting, bearing (<em>shen-yun<\/em>), movements and postures (<em>shen-fa<\/em>), and technical skills like flips and jumps. These are all essential to classical Chinese dance. It&rsquo;s an exceptionally rich art form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>How do you center yourself before a show? How do you relax after?<\/strong><br \/>Before the show, I just make sure I&rsquo;m warmed up well, I&rsquo;m in my best mental state, and I adjust to however my body feels that day. After performing, I love taking a hot bath to relax both mentally and physically.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n<div class=\"cf hidden-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/24\/aa3a4a66333df4985c7283bbd1a392e2.jpg\" class=\"sy-image\" data-style=\"contentImage--fullWidth\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE DESKTOP -->\r\n\r\n<!-- FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n<div class=\"contentImage--fullWidth visible-xs\">\r\n     <img src=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/25\/9d2d3d4c4418501fdbc746277be7c56d.jpg\" \/>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!-- END OF FULL WIDTH IMAGE ON MOBILE -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite hobby or pastime, and why?<\/strong><br \/>I love photography, writing poetry, and cooking. When I&rsquo;m moved by a beautiful scene or experience, I like writing poetry. It&rsquo;s my way of talking to myself and capturing my emotions. Even if my writing isn&rsquo;t very good, it&rsquo;s still a way to express feelings. There was a time when I wrote over a hundred poems a year.<\/p><p>Photography, I just love it. No particular reason why.<\/p><p>Recently, I&rsquo;ve especially fallen in love with cooking. It&rsquo;s incredibly relaxing, so rewarding, and I&rsquo;ve learned so much. I cook Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine.<\/p><p>In a way, cooking, photography, and dance are similar: You create something, realize it&rsquo;s different from what you imagined, then study why, experiment again, and learn from it. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What is one unexpected difficulty of being on tour?<\/strong><br \/>Definitely the long bus rides.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s your favorite place to visit on tour, and why?<\/strong><br \/>Japan! Japan! Japan! I haven&rsquo;t performed there in a long time, but I hope to soon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What&rsquo;s the most memorable character you&rsquo;ve performed?<\/strong><br \/>Zhao Yun in <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/explore\/view\/article\/e\/mv7Vj8TVYz4\/shen-yun-2023-the-story-of-zhao-yun\" target=\"_blank\">Riding Alone to the Rescue<\/a><\/em>. It&rsquo;s a very expressive and complicated role, full of dramatic ups and downs. It&rsquo;s a role that&rsquo;s very rewarding to perform, but also exhausting. Zhao Yun is loyal, brave, intelligent, and selfless. All these traits, including his sacrifice and devotion, truly moved me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What do you think is the highest level of dance?<\/strong><br \/>In terms of technical skills, it&rsquo;s what we call <em>shen-dai-shou<\/em> (&ldquo;the body leads the hands&rdquo;) and <em>kua-dai-tui<\/em> (&ldquo;the hips lead the legs&rdquo;).  <\/p><p>Once technical ability reaches a certain level, what matters most is cultural depth and what you have inside. It begins with the performer&rsquo;s self-cultivation; that&rsquo;s the most important thing. Artistic refinement lies in how you use your movements and subtleties of expression to make the audience experience something unforgettable. That unique quality, that inner feeling, is what others can&rsquo;t imitate. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>If you could sit down with a younger version of yourself, when you were just starting out as an artist, what would you tell him?<\/strong><br \/>Work harder, even harder. Be humble and don&rsquo;t complain&mdash;just do it.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Shen Yun 2026 is coming together as we speak. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.com\/tickets\" target=\"_blank\">ticketing page<\/a> for the upcoming tour, starting this December. <\/em><\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;color:#a2a2a2;font-family: Georgia; text-transform:uppercase;margin-bottom:10px;\">Featured Video<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;font-size:1.4rem;font-family: Georgia\"><strong>Meet Principal Dancer Kenji Kobayashi<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<video height=\"315\" width=\"560\" controlslist=\"nodownload\" controls=\"1\" poster=\"http:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/e21cc1d36a6a93d33f9b72adfea44b8f.jpg\">\r\n\t<source src=\"https:\/\/media1.shenyun.com\/video\/2026\/Kenji-Star-Of-SY\/SYStars_KenjiKobayashi_HD_ENGTrailer.mp4\"><\/source>\r\n<\/video>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em><br \/>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncreations.com\/video\/_video_28ba34a8f2d543099e06550a5ee8a038\/Stars-of-Shen-Yun-Kenji-Kobayashi\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> to watch the full video.<\/em><\/p>","contentRelated":"46894","tag":"Artist Spotlight, Featured Artists","url":"","imageId":"22635","imageCaption":"","imageOnDetailPage":"1","imageTopHeader":{"fileId":"22635","fileName":"KenjiK-header-En-2000w.jpg","title":"KenjiK Header En 2000w","alt":"KenjiK Header En 2000w","timeCreated":"2026-01-23 16:24:50","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg"},"imageGallery":"0","imageGalleryCaption":"","imageGalleryEnable":"1","imageGalleryPosition":"1","videoId":"0","imageIdForVideo":"0","videoLink":"","embeddedVideoGJW":"","videoTypeContentId":"0","artistsHeaderDisplayOrder":"0","cityPageOrder":"0","showOnMainSYPage":"1","enableCityId":"0","showOnCitypage":"0","showOnAllCityPage":"0","imageGalleryId":"0","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22636","fileName":"KenjiK-square-spotlight.jpg","title":"KenjiK Square Spotlight","alt":"KenjiK Square Spotlight","timeCreated":"2026-01-23 16:28:13","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/de13900036d092edc37a217d406f143e.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2026\/01\/23\/de13900036d092edc37a217d406f143e.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2026\/01\/23\/de13900036d092edc37a217d406f143e.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2026\/01\/23\/de13900036d092edc37a217d406f143e.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2026\/01\/23\/de13900036d092edc37a217d406f143e.jpg"},"readDuration":"","imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22635","fileName":"KenjiK-header-En-2000w.jpg","title":"KenjiK Header En 2000w","alt":"KenjiK Header En 2000w","timeCreated":"2026-01-23 16:24:50","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2026\/01\/23\/c16117de1309f508633dae03c0804a0b.jpg"}},"eId":"nbGAN6TlFQQ","eid":"nbGAN6TlFQQ","sectionEId":"U2m7QmLY8Tg","contentTypeEId":"JUM-7TqtxSU","timeDisplay":"February 8, 2026","seoUrl":"_nbGAN6TlFQQ\/artist-spotlight-kenji-kobayashi.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/nbGAN6TlFQQ\/artist-spotlight-kenji-kobayashi.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"News"},{"id":"52767","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"20-anniversary-world-tour","parentId":"0","userId":"44","sectionId":"27","contentTypeId":"34","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2025-12-07 16:50:47","timePublished":"2026-02-07 16:25:54","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2026-02-09 10:00:56","orderByTime":"2026-02-07 16:25:54","ip":"68.173.249.100","title":"Shen Yun Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Landmark Global Tour","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"0","commentDisplay":"0","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"Shen Yun Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Landmark Global Tour","userModified":"36","notes":"","contentTypeName":"pressRelease","totalCount":"4958","username":"leeshail","userUpdated":"vivians","sectionName":"(English) Press Releases","extra":{"id":"427","contentId":"52767","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"<p>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>","body":"<p><em>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>December 7, 2025<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world&rsquo;s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a historic global tour.&nbsp;<\/p><p>This season, Shen Yun:<\/p><ul><li>Will have&nbsp;<strong>eight equally large troupes&nbsp;<\/strong>performing simultaneously<\/li><li>Across&nbsp;<strong>five continents<\/strong><\/li><li>Taking the stage in&nbsp;<strong>21 countries<\/strong><\/li><li>And&nbsp;<strong>170 cities<\/strong><\/li><li>In front of&nbsp;<strong>one million people&nbsp;<\/strong>worldwide<\/li><\/ul><p>&ldquo;This milestone reflects the dedication of hundreds of artists,&rdquo; said Shen Yun Vice President and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/22xYytYCySo\/.html\">Conductor Ying Chen<\/a>. &ldquo;Our remarkable performers haven&rsquo;t just put on a world class show&mdash;they&rsquo;re carrying forward a cultural heritage and a set of values that they cherish deeply. They are among the best in the world, and their commitment is the reason we can celebrate twenty years today.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;This anniversary also demonstrates that the elite artistry and hopeful message of our performances, which reconnects people with wholesome traditions, resonates deeply with audiences around the world,&rdquo; Ms. Chen added. &ldquo;With no government or corporate backing, our remarkable growth is fueled by the fact that, each year, more and more people are flocking to theaters to experience Shen Yun.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Established in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006, Shen Yun is marking two decades of extraordinary artistic achievement. Show after show, the company continues its mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, breathing life into a civilization that had been brought to the brink of extinction by communism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, many of whom escaped persecution in China, Shen Yun quickly professionalized and grew from one to eight equally large touring troupes.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Along with its hallmark classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is home to the world&rsquo;s first orchestra to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members. In what critics called an innovation in the world of performing arts, Shen Yun also patented interactive animated backdrops that extend the stage and instantly transport the audience to another world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun has become a must-see show, and the fastest-growing performing arts company in American history.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Shen Yun lets the world see a China that the communist regime tried to destroy,&rdquo; said <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/hBFlGVpHELU\/.html\">Principal Dancer Piotr Huang<\/a>. &ldquo;We began with a simple aspiration: to speak out about persecution and to share a culture that was nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun has become a cultural phenomenon that touches people from every walk of life.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;As a dancer, Shen Yun has given me and my colleagues an environment to reach the peaks of our artistic potential,&rdquo; said Huang. &ldquo;If we were in China, we would face imprisonment. Here we have the opportunity to thrive.&rdquo;<\/p><p>It hasn&rsquo;t been easy. The organization&rsquo;s founders and performers were people who practiced Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based spiritual meditation discipline brutally persecuted in China. They were driven by a sense of urgency&mdash;innocent people just like them being killed every day. As Western media largely turned a blind eye to the atrocities, these artists were willing to go the extra mile.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>They decided that not only would they celebrate the glory of ancient Chinese civilization, but also, as part of each performance, portray present reality in China and the courage of people of faith there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Because of this daring portrayal, Shen Yun has incurred the wrath of the Chinese communist state. Through its embassies and consulates, networks of spies and secret agents, economic threats, and propaganda disinformation, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/challenges-we-face\">the regime came after Shen Yun in full force<\/a>. The performing arts company has endured slashed tires, break ins, and death threats&mdash;all on American soil. Meanwhile, performers&rsquo; family members in China have been harassed and even imprisoned.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But through it all, Shen Yun has thrived, driven by faith and a sense of purpose. Now, after 20 years, Shen Yun is the world&rsquo;s gold standard for classical Chinese dance and has fully earned a reputation for artistic ingenuity, integrity, and resilience.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Fun fact: The 20th anniversary is traditionally called &ldquo;the china anniversary.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>MEDIA CONTACT<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For media inquiries, please write to: \r\ncontact@shenyunperformingarts.org.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>ABOUT SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun is a nonprofit organization established in New York by elite Chinese artists, many of whom fled persecution. With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun has become the world&rsquo;s foremost classical Chinese dance and music company, performing all-new programs globally every year.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>The 2026 production includes breathtaking new dances, never-before-seen stories, original scores, hundreds of dazzling costumes, and Shen Yun&rsquo;s patented animated backdrops. Learn more at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/\">ShenYunPerformingArts.org<\/a>.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22588","imageIdFeatured":"22588","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"0","imageSquareId":"22590"},"ext":{"id":"427","contentId":"52767","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"<p>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>","body":"<p><em>How a performing arts organization rescued a culture and became the fastest-growing dance company in American history<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>December 7, 2025<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world&rsquo;s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a historic global tour.&nbsp;<\/p><p>This season, Shen Yun:<\/p><ul><li>Will have&nbsp;<strong>eight equally large troupes&nbsp;<\/strong>performing simultaneously<\/li><li>Across&nbsp;<strong>five continents<\/strong><\/li><li>Taking the stage in&nbsp;<strong>21 countries<\/strong><\/li><li>And&nbsp;<strong>170 cities<\/strong><\/li><li>In front of&nbsp;<strong>one million people&nbsp;<\/strong>worldwide<\/li><\/ul><p>&ldquo;This milestone reflects the dedication of hundreds of artists,&rdquo; said Shen Yun Vice President and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/22xYytYCySo\/.html\">Conductor Ying Chen<\/a>. &ldquo;Our remarkable performers haven&rsquo;t just put on a world class show&mdash;they&rsquo;re carrying forward a cultural heritage and a set of values that they cherish deeply. They are among the best in the world, and their commitment is the reason we can celebrate twenty years today.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;This anniversary also demonstrates that the elite artistry and hopeful message of our performances, which reconnects people with wholesome traditions, resonates deeply with audiences around the world,&rdquo; Ms. Chen added. &ldquo;With no government or corporate backing, our remarkable growth is fueled by the fact that, each year, more and more people are flocking to theaters to experience Shen Yun.&rdquo;<\/p><p>Established in New York&rsquo;s Hudson Valley in 2006, Shen Yun is marking two decades of extraordinary artistic achievement. Show after show, the company continues its mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, breathing life into a civilization that had been brought to the brink of extinction by communism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>From humble beginnings as a group of volunteers, many of whom escaped persecution in China, Shen Yun quickly professionalized and grew from one to eight equally large touring troupes.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>Along with its hallmark classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun is home to the world&rsquo;s first orchestra to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members. In what critics called an innovation in the world of performing arts, Shen Yun also patented interactive animated backdrops that extend the stage and instantly transport the audience to another world.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun has become a must-see show, and the fastest-growing performing arts company in American history.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Shen Yun lets the world see a China that the communist regime tried to destroy,&rdquo; said <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/artists\/view\/article\/e\/hBFlGVpHELU\/.html\">Principal Dancer Piotr Huang<\/a>. &ldquo;We began with a simple aspiration: to speak out about persecution and to share a culture that was nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun has become a cultural phenomenon that touches people from every walk of life.&rdquo;<\/p><p>&ldquo;As a dancer, Shen Yun has given me and my colleagues an environment to reach the peaks of our artistic potential,&rdquo; said Huang. &ldquo;If we were in China, we would face imprisonment. Here we have the opportunity to thrive.&rdquo;<\/p><p>It hasn&rsquo;t been easy. The organization&rsquo;s founders and performers were people who practiced Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based spiritual meditation discipline brutally persecuted in China. They were driven by a sense of urgency&mdash;innocent people just like them being killed every day. As Western media largely turned a blind eye to the atrocities, these artists were willing to go the extra mile.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>They decided that not only would they celebrate the glory of ancient Chinese civilization, but also, as part of each performance, portray present reality in China and the courage of people of faith there.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Because of this daring portrayal, Shen Yun has incurred the wrath of the Chinese communist state. Through its embassies and consulates, networks of spies and secret agents, economic threats, and propaganda disinformation, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/challenges-we-face\">the regime came after Shen Yun in full force<\/a>. The performing arts company has endured slashed tires, break ins, and death threats&mdash;all on American soil. Meanwhile, performers&rsquo; family members in China have been harassed and even imprisoned.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>But through it all, Shen Yun has thrived, driven by faith and a sense of purpose. Now, after 20 years, Shen Yun is the world&rsquo;s gold standard for classical Chinese dance and has fully earned a reputation for artistic ingenuity, integrity, and resilience.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Fun fact: The 20th anniversary is traditionally called &ldquo;the china anniversary.&rdquo;<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><br \/><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>MEDIA CONTACT<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For media inquiries, please write to: \r\ncontact@shenyunperformingarts.org.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong>ABOUT SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun is a nonprofit organization established in New York by elite Chinese artists, many of whom fled persecution. With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun has become the world&rsquo;s foremost classical Chinese dance and music company, performing all-new programs globally every year.<\/p> \r\n\r\n<p>The 2026 production includes breathtaking new dances, never-before-seen stories, original scores, hundreds of dazzling costumes, and Shen Yun&rsquo;s patented animated backdrops. Learn more at: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/\">ShenYunPerformingArts.org<\/a>.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22588","imageIdFeatured":"22588","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"0","imageSquareId":{"fileId":"22590","fileName":"SY26-square.jpg","title":"SY26 Square","alt":"SY26 Square","timeCreated":"2025-12-12 16:41:15","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/12\/cadc87ddebe5c65eba0316c443a289d7.jpg"},"imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22588","fileName":"SY2026-artwork-header-400x246ratio.jpg","title":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","alt":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","timeCreated":"2025-12-08 23:27:04","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg"},"imageFeatured":{"fileId":"22588","fileName":"SY2026-artwork-header-400x246ratio.jpg","title":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","alt":"SY2026 Artwork Header 400x246ratio","timeCreated":"2025-12-08 23:27:04","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2025\/12\/08\/458ca694c137a9a2ec0243d645e2b5fc.jpg"}},"eId":"4fephBzr_Yw","eid":"4fephBzr_Yw","sectionEId":"Shwh9715MMc","contentTypeEId":"iSYtvU7zjYM","timeDisplay":"February 7, 2026","seoUrl":"_4fephBzr_Yw\/20-anniversary-world-tour.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/4fephBzr_Yw\/20-anniversary-world-tour.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"Press Release"},{"id":"52920","idText":"","urlFriendlyName":"media-gets-wrong-about-shen-yun","parentId":"0","userId":"36","sectionId":"27","contentTypeId":"34","langId":"1","timeCreated":"2026-02-08 17:27:54","timePublished":"2026-02-06 16:07:44","timePublishedDisplay":"0","timeUpdated":"2026-02-28 05:52:52","orderByTime":"2026-02-06 16:07:44","ip":"67.243.122.102","title":"9 Things Some Media Reports Get Wrong About Shen Yun","lastRevisionId":"0","protectMode":"1","password":"","passwordHint":"","commentNum":"0","ratingNum":"0","ratingAvg":"0","adminRefTime":null,"recommend":"0","sourceType":null,"commentEnable":"0","commentDisplay":"0","commentNeedApproval":"1","showOnWhatsnewAllPost":"1","status":"1","metaDescription":"Alongside many fair articles, some recent news pieces about Shen Yun have repeated a nearly identical sensationalist formula. They recycle long-debunked narratives and follow the disinformation playbook of the CCP, the world\u2019s most sophisticated propaganda machine.","metaKeywords":"","metaTitle":"9 Things Some Media Reports Get Wrong About Shen Yun","userModified":"46","notes":"","contentTypeName":"pressRelease","totalCount":"1019","username":"vivians","userUpdated":"jingx","sectionName":"(English) Press Releases","extra":{"id":"443","contentId":"52920","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"<p>Alongside many fair articles and thousands of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/reviews\" target=\"_blank\">glowing reviews<\/a> from audience members speaking on camera, some recent news pieces about Shen Yun have repeated a nearly identical sensationalist formula. They recycle long-debunked narratives and, knowingly or not, follow the disinformation playbook of the world&rsquo;s most sophisticated propaganda machine.<\/p>","body":"<p>Alongside many fair articles and thousands of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/reviews\">glowing reviews<\/a> from audience members speaking on camera, some recent news pieces about Shen Yun have repeated a nearly identical sensationalist formula. They recycle long-debunked narratives and, knowingly or not, follow the disinformation playbook of the world&rsquo;s most sophisticated propaganda machine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>What unites us at Shen Yun is the spiritual practice of Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based meditation discipline that originated in China. For 26 years, Falun Dafa practitioners have been subjected to a brutal persecution campaign at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Our family and friends have been imprisoned, tortured, and murdered. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In response to the urgency of the persecution we stepped forward to call attention to it and to show what Chinese civilization looked like without communism. That is why Shen Yun exists&mdash;and why the CCP fears it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the last few years, the CCP has escalated its attempts to discredit us. Unfortunately, in covering Shen Yun, some mainstream news pieces and social media videos have been echoing both Beijing-based disinformation and each other. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In an effort to set the record straight and provide journalists and influencers with the full picture, here are nine things media have been consistently getting wrong:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">1. They source disproportionately<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Some media reports elevate a handful of former performers whose accounts contradict the statements of hundreds of current and former members who describe overwhelmingly positive experiences with Shen Yun. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/our-petition\">Read a petition<\/a> from 766 current and former performers calling the allegations against Shen Yun &ldquo;gross distortions and false narratives about our work, our faith, and our way of life.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">2. They fail to scrutinize accusers<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>After leaving Shen Yun, several accusers later developed ties to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jamestown.org\/beijing-dance-academy-dances-to-the-tune-of-zhongnanhai\/\">Beijing Dance Academy<\/a>, a CCP-run institution, and their narratives then changed dramatically. What is their motivation for seeking media attention and lawsuits now, a decade after leaving the company? Furthermore, elite dance training practices are mischaracterized as &ldquo;abusive,&rdquo; when, in fact, they are common across most professional dance disciplines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">3. Repeating disproven claims<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">a. <em>The denial of medical treatment claim.<\/em> <strong>This is blatantly false&mdash;performers receive standard medical treatment<\/strong>, including MRIs, surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing care from partnered medical providers who are on campus regularly. What company wouldn&rsquo;t want its dancers to be healthy? <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Pjo-T2lqeHI&amp;t=1s&amp;pp=ygUbc3BpbmUgYW5kIGpvaW50IGNlbnRlciBub3Rv\">More on this.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">b. <em>The child labor claim.<\/em> <strong>Over 85% of Shen Yun&rsquo;s touring members are adults.<\/strong> Students under 18 perform with Shen Yun as part of a practicum program at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. The practicum is part of a curriculum approved by the New York State Department of Education. This is an essential and indispensable immersive training opportunity for students aspiring to become top classical Chinese dancers or musicians. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_k_6STF1itY\">More on this.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">c. <em>The coercion claim.<\/em> <strong>The reality is that performers freely audition, enroll voluntarily, and are free to leave at any time.<\/strong> For many, performing in Shen Yun is a lifelong dream. Sure, every year a small number leave for other endeavors. Some, including one accuser often quoted in media, actually tried to return to Shen Yun even after leaving. The growth and success of the company wouldn&rsquo;t be possible if perfor mers weren&rsquo;t happy to be here. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/personal-blogs\">Hear directly from students and performers.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">4. They minimize the context and urgency of millions being persecuted<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun was created in response to a brutal religious persecution affecting tens of millions in China. These ongoing atrocities are not &ldquo;alleged&rdquo;&mdash;they are documented by the US State Department, Amnesty International, Freedom House, the EU, and others. Among our performers are people who were prisoners of conscience in China or lost parents to torture in Chinese prisons. <\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Learn <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/why-is-falun-gong-is-persecuted-in-china\/\">why the persecution is happening in China today<\/a>.&nbsp;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home target=\">When Persecution Hits Home<\/a>&mdash;over 90 Shen Yun performers and their families directly experienced it.<br \/>Congressional bill <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/1540\/text\/ih\">The Falun Gong Protection Act<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">5. They downplay the CCP&rsquo;s role in disinformation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the past three years, the CCP has dramatically escalated its disinformation efforts against Shen Yun. Beijing has paid influencers, planted media stories, used online bots, and instigated frivolous lawsuits. We have also experienced death and bomb threats, break-ins, vandalism, and espionage&mdash;all part of the CCP&rsquo;s well-documented transnational repression in the US. <\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Read about leaked documents from China that outline the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/launching-a-knockout-punch-ccp-campaign-to-sabotage-shen-yun-falun-gong\/\">disinformation campaign.<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/launching-a-knockout-punch-ccp-campaign-to-sabotage-shen-yun-falun-gong\/\"><\/a>Video: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tfHdNg2360I\">Why is Beijing Trying to Silence American Artists?<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">6. Instead of transparently showing our faith, they amplify the narrative of the regime that persecutes us<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The essence of our Falun Dafa faith is self-improvement by living with honesty, kindness, and resilience. Rather than showing who Falun Dafa practitioners really are&mdash;ordinary people who meditate, work, raise families, and live normal lives&mdash;media sometimes echo the CCP&rsquo;s &ldquo;cult&rdquo; framing by cherry-picking anecdotes and emphasizing supposed abnormality. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Some Western media have done this for over two decades, and the result is that our free press amplifies the CCP&rsquo;s narrative that dehumanizes us. These portrayals are then often circulated in China and used to justify further persecution of our fellow believers. <strong>Irresponsible journalism has real human consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Example of the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/new-york-times-distortion\/\">New York Times bias in reporting on Falun Gong<\/a>.<\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">7. Emotional manipulation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Production choices&mdash;ominous music, gloomy visuals, loaded language like &ldquo;compound,&rdquo; and staged emotional pressure&mdash;are used to elicit sympathy for accusers while portraying performers as strange. We understand why this happens. Provocative stories sell. The story of success through faith and hard work is less exciting. But these are deliberate cinematic techniques, not neutral reporting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">8.&nbsp;They wrongly label Shen Yun&rsquo;s beautiful campus as a &lsquo;compound&rsquo;<\/h2><p>Our campus is located in the rolling hills of Orange County, NY, in a place called Dragon \r\nSprings, which is also home to Buddhist-style temple grounds, Fei Tian Academy of \r\nthe Arts, and Fei Tian College (both schools are New York-registered and \r\noffer a full academic curriculum alongside elite arts training). Dragon Springs is not walled in, but rather, \r\nset amidst 400 acres of woodland, complete with a network of walking \r\npaths and exquisite Tang Dynasty-style architecture. While some students and staff live on campus, many live in the \r\nsurrounding areas and commute to work at Dragon Springs each day. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yAhqr-A8dEM&amp;t=34s&amp;pp=ygUIc2hlbiB5dW4%3D\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more here.<\/a><\/p><br \/><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">9.&nbsp;The truth is: becoming an elite dancer takes hard work<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>World-class performance requires discipline, sacrifice, and \r\nresilience. Like elite athletes, Shen Yun performers train long hours, \r\nendure injuries and criticism, and reach for high standards. Excellence \r\nis demanding&mdash;and not for everyone.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Our takeaway<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>We are not perfect. Self-reflection and improvement are core to our beliefs, and we continually work to strengthen our training, management, and support systems. But the environment portrayed in these stories bears little resemblance to reality. Anyone who speaks directly with our performers will hear a very different story.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Responsible journalism requires balance, due diligence, and awareness of transnational repression. By failing to meet these standards, some media outlets end up misleading audiences, obscuring the full picture, and even discouraging serious concern for human rights in China. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Those who believe their framing will also miss out on experiencing a performance that audience members call inspiring, uplifting, and full of hope&mdash;one that shows both China before communism and the reality in China today.\r\n<\/p><p>And that&rsquo;s exactly what the CCP wanted all along.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22659","imageIdFeatured":"0","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"52860,52767,0","imageSquareId":"0"},"ext":{"id":"443","contentId":"52920","featured":"1","location":"","introduction":"<p>Alongside many fair articles and thousands of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/reviews\" target=\"_blank\">glowing reviews<\/a> from audience members speaking on camera, some recent news pieces about Shen Yun have repeated a nearly identical sensationalist formula. They recycle long-debunked narratives and, knowingly or not, follow the disinformation playbook of the world&rsquo;s most sophisticated propaganda machine.<\/p>","body":"<p>Alongside many fair articles and thousands of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/videos\/reviews\">glowing reviews<\/a> from audience members speaking on camera, some recent news pieces about Shen Yun have repeated a nearly identical sensationalist formula. They recycle long-debunked narratives and, knowingly or not, follow the disinformation playbook of the world&rsquo;s most sophisticated propaganda machine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>What unites us at Shen Yun is the spiritual practice of Falun Dafa, the Buddhist-based meditation discipline that originated in China. For 26 years, Falun Dafa practitioners have been subjected to a brutal persecution campaign at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Our family and friends have been imprisoned, tortured, and murdered. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In response to the urgency of the persecution we stepped forward to call attention to it and to show what Chinese civilization looked like without communism. That is why Shen Yun exists&mdash;and why the CCP fears it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the last few years, the CCP has escalated its attempts to discredit us. Unfortunately, in covering Shen Yun, some mainstream news pieces and social media videos have been echoing both Beijing-based disinformation and each other. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>In an effort to set the record straight and provide journalists and influencers with the full picture, here are nine things media have been consistently getting wrong:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">1. They source disproportionately<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Some media reports elevate a handful of former performers whose accounts contradict the statements of hundreds of current and former members who describe overwhelmingly positive experiences with Shen Yun. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/our-petition\">Read a petition<\/a> from 766 current and former performers calling the allegations against Shen Yun &ldquo;gross distortions and false narratives about our work, our faith, and our way of life.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">2. They fail to scrutinize accusers<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>After leaving Shen Yun, several accusers later developed ties to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jamestown.org\/beijing-dance-academy-dances-to-the-tune-of-zhongnanhai\/\">Beijing Dance Academy<\/a>, a CCP-run institution, and their narratives then changed dramatically. What is their motivation for seeking media attention and lawsuits now, a decade after leaving the company? Furthermore, elite dance training practices are mischaracterized as &ldquo;abusive,&rdquo; when, in fact, they are common across most professional dance disciplines.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">3. Repeating disproven claims<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">a. <em>The denial of medical treatment claim.<\/em> <strong>This is blatantly false&mdash;performers receive standard medical treatment<\/strong>, including MRIs, surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing care from partnered medical providers who are on campus regularly. What company wouldn&rsquo;t want its dancers to be healthy? <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Pjo-T2lqeHI&amp;t=1s&amp;pp=ygUbc3BpbmUgYW5kIGpvaW50IGNlbnRlciBub3Rv\">More on this.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">b. <em>The child labor claim.<\/em> <strong>Over 85% of Shen Yun&rsquo;s touring members are adults.<\/strong> Students under 18 perform with Shen Yun as part of a practicum program at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. The practicum is part of a curriculum approved by the New York State Department of Education. This is an essential and indispensable immersive training opportunity for students aspiring to become top classical Chinese dancers or musicians. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_k_6STF1itY\">More on this.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">c. <em>The coercion claim.<\/em> <strong>The reality is that performers freely audition, enroll voluntarily, and are free to leave at any time.<\/strong> For many, performing in Shen Yun is a lifelong dream. Sure, every year a small number leave for other endeavors. Some, including one accuser often quoted in media, actually tried to return to Shen Yun even after leaving. The growth and success of the company wouldn&rsquo;t be possible if perfor mers weren&rsquo;t happy to be here. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyuncommunity.org\/personal-blogs\">Hear directly from students and performers.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">4. They minimize the context and urgency of millions being persecuted<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Shen Yun was created in response to a brutal religious persecution affecting tens of millions in China. These ongoing atrocities are not &ldquo;alleged&rdquo;&mdash;they are documented by the US State Department, Amnesty International, Freedom House, the EU, and others. Among our performers are people who were prisoners of conscience in China or lost parents to torture in Chinese prisons. <\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Learn <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/why-is-falun-gong-is-persecuted-in-china\/\">why the persecution is happening in China today<\/a>.&nbsp;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shenyun.org\/news\/view\/article\/e\/j-IUU9Fsv8Y\/7-20-when-persecution-hits-home target=\">When Persecution Hits Home<\/a>&mdash;over 90 Shen Yun performers and their families directly experienced it.<br \/>Congressional bill <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/1540\/text\/ih\">The Falun Gong Protection Act<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">5. They downplay the CCP&rsquo;s role in disinformation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Over the past three years, the CCP has dramatically escalated its disinformation efforts against Shen Yun. Beijing has paid influencers, planted media stories, used online bots, and instigated frivolous lawsuits. We have also experienced death and bomb threats, break-ins, vandalism, and espionage&mdash;all part of the CCP&rsquo;s well-documented transnational repression in the US. <\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Read about leaked documents from China that outline the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/launching-a-knockout-punch-ccp-campaign-to-sabotage-shen-yun-falun-gong\/\">disinformation campaign.<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/launching-a-knockout-punch-ccp-campaign-to-sabotage-shen-yun-falun-gong\/\"><\/a>Video: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tfHdNg2360I\">Why is Beijing Trying to Silence American Artists?<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">6. Instead of transparently showing our faith, they amplify the narrative of the regime that persecutes us<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>The essence of our Falun Dafa faith is self-improvement by living with honesty, kindness, and resilience. Rather than showing who Falun Dafa practitioners really are&mdash;ordinary people who meditate, work, raise families, and live normal lives&mdash;media sometimes echo the CCP&rsquo;s &ldquo;cult&rdquo; framing by cherry-picking anecdotes and emphasizing supposed abnormality. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Some Western media have done this for over two decades, and the result is that our free press amplifies the CCP&rsquo;s narrative that dehumanizes us. These portrayals are then often circulated in China and used to justify further persecution of our fellow believers. <strong>Irresponsible journalism has real human consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">Example of the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/faluninfo.net\/new-york-times-distortion\/\">New York Times bias in reporting on Falun Gong<\/a>.<\/p><p style=\"margin-left: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">7. Emotional manipulation<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>Production choices&mdash;ominous music, gloomy visuals, loaded language like &ldquo;compound,&rdquo; and staged emotional pressure&mdash;are used to elicit sympathy for accusers while portraying performers as strange. We understand why this happens. Provocative stories sell. The story of success through faith and hard work is less exciting. But these are deliberate cinematic techniques, not neutral reporting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<br \/><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">8.&nbsp;They wrongly label Shen Yun&rsquo;s beautiful campus as a &lsquo;compound&rsquo;<\/h2><p>Our campus is located in the rolling hills of Orange County, NY, in a place called Dragon \r\nSprings, which is also home to Buddhist-style temple grounds, Fei Tian Academy of \r\nthe Arts, and Fei Tian College (both schools are New York-registered and \r\noffer a full academic curriculum alongside elite arts training). Dragon Springs is not walled in, but rather, \r\nset amidst 400 acres of woodland, complete with a network of walking \r\npaths and exquisite Tang Dynasty-style architecture. While some students and staff live on campus, many live in the \r\nsurrounding areas and commute to work at Dragon Springs each day. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yAhqr-A8dEM&amp;t=34s&amp;pp=ygUIc2hlbiB5dW4%3D\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more here.<\/a><\/p><br \/><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">9.&nbsp;The truth is: becoming an elite dancer takes hard work<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>World-class performance requires discipline, sacrifice, and \r\nresilience. Like elite athletes, Shen Yun performers train long hours, \r\nendure injuries and criticism, and reach for high standards. Excellence \r\nis demanding&mdash;and not for everyone.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"profile__name bold-700\">Our takeaway<\/h2>\r\n\r\n<p>We are not perfect. Self-reflection and improvement are core to our beliefs, and we continually work to strengthen our training, management, and support systems. But the environment portrayed in these stories bears little resemblance to reality. Anyone who speaks directly with our performers will hear a very different story.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Responsible journalism requires balance, due diligence, and awareness of transnational repression. By failing to meet these standards, some media outlets end up misleading audiences, obscuring the full picture, and even discouraging serious concern for human rights in China. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Those who believe their framing will also miss out on experiencing a performance that audience members call inspiring, uplifting, and full of hope&mdash;one that shows both China before communism and the reality in China today.\r\n<\/p><p>And that&rsquo;s exactly what the CCP wanted all along.<\/p>","tag":"","imageId":"22659","imageIdFeatured":"0","videoLink":"","videoId":"0","contentRelated":"52860,52767,0","imageSquareId":"0","imageDataDisplay":{"fileId":"22659","fileName":"media-get-wrong-about-SY-thumb.jpg","title":"Media Get Wrong About SY Thumb","alt":"Media Get Wrong About SY Thumb","timeCreated":"2026-02-09 09:59:09","mimeType":"image\/jpeg","original":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/original\/2026\/02\/09\/7bda612fb0ffac6de1a3be8773e0b495.jpg","thumb":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/thumb\/2026\/02\/09\/7bda612fb0ffac6de1a3be8773e0b495.jpg","small":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/small\/2026\/02\/09\/7bda612fb0ffac6de1a3be8773e0b495.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/medium\/2026\/02\/09\/7bda612fb0ffac6de1a3be8773e0b495.jpg","big":"https:\/\/www.shenyunperformingarts.org\/data\/image\/big\/2026\/02\/09\/7bda612fb0ffac6de1a3be8773e0b495.jpg"}},"eId":"zBuHGkCwdO8","eid":"zBuHGkCwdO8","sectionEId":"Shwh9715MMc","contentTypeEId":"iSYtvU7zjYM","timeDisplay":"February 6, 2026","seoUrl":"_zBuHGkCwdO8\/media-gets-wrong-about-shen-yun.html","url":"\/news\/view\/article\/e\/zBuHGkCwdO8\/media-gets-wrong-about-shen-yun.html","contentTypeNameDisplay":"Press Release"}]