Lionel Wang's Comment

I am a student studying at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and I am very fortunate to be able to perform with Shen Yun through a dance practicum program. After hearing rumors and seeing articles about people that used to be here, I feel heartbroken. Fei Tian and Shen Yun have done so much for me as well as those who left, and I feel that I have a responsibility to step up and say something.

I want to share my experience at Fei Tian Academy. Not only have I learned top-level dance skills and techniques, but I’ve also learned how to be a better person. Yes, this school is a religious-affiliated school where everyone believes in the values of truth, compassion, and forbearance. Everyone, including myself, abides by those values willingly. Nobody is forced to believe in them. Instead, we are encouraged to be clearheaded and very mindful of our goals and values.

One thing I've noticed is that people here understand each other on a different level. For instance, when a teammate was injured 15 minutes before a show started, everybody quietly learned their new roles on the spot. Without any rehearsing, we finished the two-hour show flawlessly. After that incident, I realized that the only reason we were able to pull that off was through the unconditional trust that we had in each other. Trust, strength, and the determination to succeed are just a few of the qualities that I have observed in my peers in my time here. And I look forward to growing and cultivating into an even better person in the future.