In ancient Chinese culture, there is a belief that the universe has a path carved out for you, and that in following this path, one finds one’s God-given talent, something sublime and meant to be shared. That has certainly seemed to be the case for classical Chinese dancer Daoyong Zheng, who went from being chronically ill as a young child to an active tomboy, and is now an award-winning and internationally acclaimed dancer.
When she dances, she immerses her mind and soul in the scene. Blue skies and white clouds appear before her eyes when she begins an ethnic Mongolian dance set in the vast grasslands, and she hears horses galloping in the distance. She becomes a flower, a bird, or a general from some epic or legend when the story calls for it. For her, the dance becomes a reality.
Weeks before the start of the 2017 season of Shen Yun Performing Arts, for which 22-year-old Zheng is currently a principal dancer, she seems the embodiment of purity and grace. As Zheng describes in retelling her journey as an artist, that was not always the case.
Growing Up
