Artist Spotlight: Chad Chen

Chad Chen

Born in Taiwan

Joined Shen Yun in 2008

“I think the message we are trying to bring to the audience outshines anything else, because spreading a positive message is the true purpose of art.”

What’s your first memory of dance?
Before I took up dance, I did track and field in school, which kept me pretty fit. So when I began dancing, one of my first realizations was that dance conditioning was actually less intense than track and field conditioning.

What’s your favorite city to visit on tour and why?
Tokyo. Everything’s very convenient, just like in my hometown in Taiwan, but it’s not as hot in Tokyo.

What do you like most about performing on stage?
When I play certain characters onstage, I feel much more alive than when I’m just being myself offstage.

Sometimes when I’m in the creative zone I feel like I’m channeling emotions and mannerisms that don’t belong to me, the current me. But they come out so “naturally,” as if they come from deeper inside. It feels really amazing. Perhaps it’s like when people talk about experiencing things from past lives.

What are 3 things you always take on tour with you?
My imagination, a project, and a plan. Or, more practically speaking: T-shirts, pants, and socks.

What is your favorite food?
My brother-in-law’s Kobe steak or his fried chicken.

What is the most interesting thing someone told you after seeing the show?
Once I put a lot of effort into portraying a role. Afterwards, however, not an audience member but my mentor told me my interpretation was pretty off. This experience taught me to always consider my acting from the audience’s perspective. And it reminded me to keep my own personality in check when acting, in order to let the character shine through.

What do you think differentiates classical Chinese dance from other dance forms?
Dance is a form of language. And among different dance forms, classical Chinese dance is particularly expressive.

Classical Chinese dance opens up your imagination to ancient Chinese culture. There have been many instances when a certain movement, or the meaning behind a movement, really spoke to me and inspired me. And the more you understand the movements, the better you can use them to express yourself.

Did you ever have stage fright or a scary moment on stage?
I once had a role where the choreography included 20 technical moves in one act. At the beginning, it was pretty intimidating, both physically and mentally, so I really had to muster up the courage and determination to pull through.

How do you deal with physical challenges in dance?
Benjamin Franklin once said: "In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes." What I tell myself is: As a dancer, nothing is certain except pain and sweat.

Pain is a normal part of life as a dancer, but it's through maintaining a positive outlook that I can keep going.

Who is your favorite historical figure and why?
I really admire the people who accomplish great things but don’t ask for fame or recognition for their deeds, those who try to erase their names from history, because they are the ones with the most epic stories.

What are you thinking right before the curtain goes up?
Our opening piece is set in the heavens, and this always makes me think of where I came from, and why I’m part of Shen Yun.

And when the curtain rises, I’m hoping that the heavenly scene can rekindle something in the hearts of the audience, to remind them of where they came from, their true home, and their connection with the divine.