My name is Nara Oose. I’m currently in my third year at Fei Tian College and I'm honored to be selected as a practicum student to perform with Shen Yun Performing Arts.

 

I was born and raised in Japan, but I had some bad experiences as a child when people treated me differently because my parents are Chinese. I was surrounded by people who discriminated against me because I was of Chinese descent; the only indication I had that I was Japanese was my passport.

Often, I wished that I could forget my heritage and just be a ‘normal’ Japanese person. I felt hurt by people who raised walls between the Japanese and Chinese cultures that I lived among, and those wounds slowly raised walls in my own heart.

Thankfully, my parents were able to help me grow out of that helplessness. I have vivid memories where they always emphasized traditional values that transcend cultural boundaries, rather than the cultural differences and language barriers that threatened to beat me down.

As Falun Dafa practitioners who believe in Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance, my parents taught me to be a good person and to think of others. To them, national borders don’t affect anyone’s ability to uphold morality and to be kind to each other. Those are the keys to building a truly peaceful world.

As I matured and explored the teachings of Falun Dafa, I developed my own understanding and sense of independence and choice. I shouldn’t be held back by my notions or insecurities. Instead, I have the power to step forward and help others. I can’t let my old grudges keep my heart closed and cause me to hurt others. Everyone has their own outlook on life and way to cope with hardship. I must make the choice to be kind and try to understand their perspective. I must make room in my heart for other people.

In this way, I learned to listen to others and what they were trying to convey, and how to appreciate their contributions. Now, I know that ethnicity doesn’t need to separate people. And that led me to my current life at Fei Tian.

Some people might question why a Japanese person would want to learn classical Chinese dance. On one hand, I was determined to move past the trauma of my childhood. On the other hand, I was inspired by my brother. He was the one who first moved halfway around the world to study dance at Fei Tian in New York.

He was the one who proved to my parents that he could grow up well far from home, in a new country, environment, and among so many strangers. I witnessed firsthand how my parents – who were most concerned about raising us to be safe, healthy, and kind – changed after seeing my brother mature and flourish as an artist and performer on stages around the world. My parents were no longer anxious about him; they trusted him because of all his accomplishments.

Coming to Fei Tian proved it to me too! I found myself in an environment that was as caring as my own home. My scholarship provided me with lodging, meals, necessities, and, most importantly, a learning environment that was wholly devoted to supporting me in my chosen major. The experiences of the award-winning teachers here have inspired me to continue this career path.

The most precious part of all of this, though, is that I can perform with Shen Yun. With this opportunity, I can join Shen Yun in spreading universal values that go beyond the limits of language and nationality. Just as I once found strength in those morals, I can help to inspire people all around the world to cherish what is right and positive.

I thank all the people who have guided me on this path, and I’m honored to be able to help share that message with audiences everywhere.

 

This article originally appearead on the Shen Yun Community website. Read it here.