My Journey Back From Injury

I obtained my master’s degree at Fei Tian College and am now a dancer with Shen Yun Performing Arts. After more than ten years studying at Fei Tian and working with Shen Yun, I would like to share some of my experiences.

I believe that any professional dancer would agree: every beautiful moment on stage is rooted in hard work, sweat, and tears. Just as in life, there are no shortcuts in dance. All too often, I’d put in a mountain of effort to move just an inch forward, and in that process, there might be accidents or even injuries. I’m sure that I’m not alone in my experience—it’s unavoidable for many dancers.

Two years ago, I injured my hip during tumbling practice. My company manager rushed to the studio once she heard about my fall. I wanted to grit my teeth through the pain, but I couldn’t hold back and started to cry when I saw her concern and care. I felt her motherly affection in her eyes and in her questions; she also teared up when I cried to her. Honestly, I could tell that the injury was not serious and figured I would just rest for a few days. But my manager was adamant and immediately contacted a physician for an X-ray exam, even though it was already late at night. Indeed, the X-ray showed that there was nothing to worry about. By then, my company was elbow-deep in dress rehearsals, and I had taken on several principal roles in the program. Even so, my manager forbade me from doing any dancing at all and told me to rest.

I took time off to recover, but was a little worried that I would fall behind in rehearsals. Once I rejoined, I stretched just a little too far and aggravated the same injury. This time, my manager suggested that I get an MRI scan. The scan revealed a torn hip ligament—I knew that I needed surgery. My manager was the one who made the arrangements for me while Shen Yun funded the treatment.

That endless support has allowed me to keep dancing on stage to this day. I will always be grateful to the people at Shen Yun who have helped me achieve my dreams! Throughout my recovery, there were always warm smiles to help me with daily life since I could not easily move around on my own. Truly, my manager’s care and encouragement helped me stay optimistic about my return to the stage.

To me, the ways that Shen Yun cares for its members and the ways that Fei Tian cares for its students all demonstrate true generosity of the human spirit. The world is a big place, and I’m so glad to know this remarkable environment of humaneness, warmth, and love.