Principal Dancer Angelia Wang discusses traditional values and the humbling power of the team.

Ever since she was a little girl, dance has been integral to Melody Qin’s life. Along the way, there have been both smiles and tears. The strenuous training she has undergone has not only conditioned her body but also shaped her character.

Piotr Huang’s dance teacher once told him: “At its highest realm, classical Chinese dance is not about movement. It’s about culture.”

“Well-developed limbs and underdeveloped brains…” Is this the stigma for dancers? That’s what Roy Chen used to think before he became a dancer. But dance, he soon discovered, entails so much more.

Meet Shen Yun star dancer Tiffany Lin. As a young child in Taiwan, she had a dream of goddesses flying and dancing in the sky. When she woke up, she told her mother: “I want to learn to dance.”

What is simple is not always easy. For Evangeline Zhu, the journey of dance has been an exploration: How much control can dancers have over their limbs? Just how malleable is the human body?

“The same movement can be used for combat or dance,” Chen says. “That’s why in Chinese, ‘martial arts’ and ‘dance’ are both pronounced—‘wu’...

“Ten years of practice for one minute onstage.” For dancer Karina Fu, every seemingly effortless toss of the handkerchief brings back memories of sweat, tears, and failure. And yet, mastering difficult techniques is not all she has learned through classical Chinese dance.

A dancer’s rigorous training can be taxing on both physical and mental strength. But for Shen Yun dancer Henry Hung, the motto, “Hard work always pays off” rings true. To overcome fatigue when performing, he reminds himself of his convictions: Give your best to the audience and cherish the opportunity to be on stage. This mindset never fails to fill his entire being with energy. Join us to discover how Henry’s classical Chinese dance journey has enriched his life in this episode of Stars of Shen Yun.

Principal dancer Elsie Shi shines brightly both onstage and off. But what’s her secret? She knows that dancing is much more than form and technique—the real sparkle comes from having a strong moral compass. She fills her heart with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, (and her stomach with Taiwanese bubble tea!) constantly striving to be the best version of herself. Elsie knows that the brightest stars don’t shine to be seen, but to guide others through darkness.