The 11th NTD Television “World Chinese Classical Dance Competition” entered its second day of preliminary rounds on September 12th at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center in Sugar Loaf, New York. Young male contestant Feng Jiajun won the hearts of the audience with his touching performance in the piece “Brothers” and successfully advanced to the next round.
Chinese classical dance requires contestants to have a correct mindset and emphasizes personal cultivation in order to showcase pure beauty. Feng Jiajun, who has been studying dance for 8 years, shared his feelings about the importance of cultivating the heart in dancing.
“Learning Chinese classical dance has many benefits, including expanding one’s way of thinking, becoming less selfish, and showing more consideration and respect for others,” he said. “It also helps you eliminate lazy habits, learn to persevere, eliminate distractions, delve into deep thinking, and improve concentration.” Feng Jiajun expressed how much he has gained from learning Chinese classical dance.
Currently studying at the Feitian Academy of the Arts, Feng Jiajun has loved watching Shen Yun performances since he was young and often imitates dance movements. “Those imitations often made my parents laugh out loud, and my siblings thought this child was very strange. But I don’t care how others perceive me.”
“I also enjoy making my own props for performances, like toy swords, weapons, and capes. I wanted to learn dance when I was very young, but never had the opportunity until I heard about a school teaching Chinese classical dance in midtown New York. After attending a summer camp, I was very eager to study here,” he explained.
Feng Jiajun described his educational journey, “Not only because of the dance learning environment, but also because the atmosphere here is full of pure and peaceful artistic vibes, which makes a child very happy, unlike regular public schools. You cannot learn professional art forms in general public schools.”
This is Feng Jiajun’s second time participating in the Chinese classical dance competition hosted by NTD Television. “Compared to the first time, I feel more mentally prepared, stable, and enjoy performing more. I also know where I need to improve,” he remarked.
“Before the last competition, I thought I was very well-prepared and believed I would definitely advance to the semi-finals and finals. But during the preliminary rounds, I was very nervous and suddenly worried about the results. Could I pass the preliminaries? Many worries made my heart restless. The result of the competition was disappointing.”
“When preparing for this competition, I also overthought, ‘I must dance this piece well. I need to practice crazily to improve my level.’ My mind was never calm, and I felt too much pressure. Reflecting on myself, I gradually realized that I was thinking too narrowly and selfishly. My focus was solely on winning the competition to prove myself as an excellent dancer.”
He continued, “This goes against the purpose of the competition. This competition gives each contestant a chance to solo dance, aiming to revive traditional Chinese culture. Being able to compete on the same stage with the Shen Yun Art Troupe actors, whom I have admired for many years, is a precious learning and progressing opportunity for me.” Clarifying his competition goal, his heart became particularly calm.
Feng Jiajun introduced his performance piece and the emotional journey of practicing dance, “The dance tells the story of a Falun Gong practitioner persecuted in communist China. There are two brothers who choose different life paths. One firmly practices Falun Gong, determined not to give up his faith no matter how harsh the environment.”
“In today’s environment of cross-border suppression by the Chinese Communist Party and malicious distortion of facts by the immoral media, I want to convey through this dance the beauty of Falun Gong and expose the cruelty of persecution,” he said.
“When I started dancing this piece, I only focused on the movements, trying to mimic the facial expressions of the previous performers who danced this piece on stage. But every time I performed it for the instructor, he would always say, ‘Not enough emotion, I can’t feel it, you’re just copying.'”
“Later, I gradually realized that only when there is a real feeling in the heart can you move the audience and let them see and feel the emotions you want to express.”
“This cannot be achieved by just putting on an external show. I have to work from the heart, from eye contact to body movements, every detail is crucial. I started paying attention to the character’s genuine thoughts, integrating them into my thinking. Seriously listening to the music, letting the music guide my heart, making the stage the scene where the story truly unfolds, I feel completely immersed in that setting.”
Feng Jiajun stated the many benefits he has gained from learning classical dance, including learning a broader way of thinking, becoming less selfish, and showing consideration for others. He learned to respect others, eliminate lazy habits, and learn to persevere. “It’s not just physical perseverance, but also emotional and spiritual resilience,” he added.
He further explained, “When the body is exhausted, would I still be willing to continue intense training? Practicing dance is a process of gradually improving.”
“Learning to think deeply is another advantage of practicing dance,” Feng Jiajun continued. “To improve, just listening to the teacher is not enough because the teacher cannot teach you everything. You must practice on your own and think about how to do better. This practice of thinking is not only applied in dancing but also in other academic studies, with very good results.”
He said, “Previously, I thought about how to copy ready-made answers, but now I focus on the purpose of the assignments and try my best to do them well. I often remind myself: either don’t do it, or do it with all your might.”
Feng Jiajun expressed that the friendship among classmates has also been a great help to him. “We spend a lot of time together every day, understanding each other, and helping each other. They have become a driving force for me on the path to progress.”
With many distractions and temptations in today’s society, such as social media and online games, Feng Jiajun said, “I remind myself that there are more important things worth paying attention to, not to waste time and energy on meaningless matters. Every day, try to eliminate various distractions and temptations as much as possible, which is itself a great practice for improving concentration.”
He mentioned, “If one has a firm mindset that only focuses on important matters, they are less likely to be disturbed by trivial issues.”
“If one constantly thinks, ‘How can I pass this level in the game?’ or ‘Where can I find more fun videos?’ or ‘Has my friend replied to my message?’ thinking about many such small things, the mind cannot calm down, and proper mindfulness cannot emerge.”
He believes that if the mind is cluttered, then the dance movements will inevitably be as well. “How can you move the hearts of the audience? So, only by purifying one’s thoughts can you fully focus on doing what you want to do well.”