I was the happiest because Cloud Gate Dance Theatre took me to the world. I came to realize how big the world is and how small I am. The most frustrating thing was knowing how small I am. So, I want to make contributions to the world. My goal is to let my students know who they are and find their passions, instead of thinking about salary and stability and limiting the development of their interest. I believe that all parents want their children to do what they love. If their children are happy, the parents will be happy.

I never "try" to integrate both elements because they come out of my body. I was in a dance group when I was a kid and I learned from a Peking opera master when I was in university. Most of the time I teach martial art, but modern dance has ingrained into my body. The dance from Cloud Gate and the dance I learned as a child have become part of my body and my second nature. I spent a few years in Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. Basically, the Cloud Dance style is difficult to classify. In other words, there is no clear-cut definition of genres.

To reach Mr. Lin Hwai-min's requirements, you need to read and live. Sometimes he gives very abstract instructions. On one occasion he said, "Your body should 'plink' on a rock like a droplet". If you have not paid attention from day-to-day life, you would not understand it. You need to live with your heart and know a lot of things. Then it is down to imagination. The instructions he gave me toward the end were all very abstract. Some younger people would have problems understanding what they meant. In sum, live and learn.

Being a Cloud Gate dancer is a lot more easy and pleasant than teaching in school. A dancer's responsibility is to avoid mistakes on stage. Otherwise, the whole scene is ruined. More important, a dancer should take care of his/her body and cannot ask others to replace their position. My Peking opera teacher told me that you should be a role model before you can teach. So, I am very careful in everything I do. I need to guide students to find their interests. I think teaching in school is a lot of responsibility.

The biggest lesson is to do your job. Even if you have great dreams, you should do your job first and wait for the opportunity to make an impact. A teacher has great influence, but I know I am a small part of Cloud Gate. I always tell my students that the world is big, although not all the children can understand it. Mr. Lin Hwai-min cares about his dancers, and I care a lot about the physical and mental status of my students. I serve as a bridge for the communication between parents and children.

Passion, modesty and gratitude. It would be difficult to endure physical pains without passion. Your parents are right behind you and taking your photos. If I see any children yelling at their parents, I would nag at them. We spend our parents' money and we should feel grateful. In sum, you need passion, modesty and gratitude to pursue a career in dancing.

The Cloud Gate performances are sophisticated. Dancers need to calm down and be in a good physical status. It would be easier to cover up with other dance groups. It is a huge difference whether I am mentally prepared or not. I can hang in there with performances for others. However, I need to be comfortable enough to perform for Cloud Gate, to face myself on stage.

"Interpretation" is not just for stage. It is living your life consciously. I need to take good care of myself, eating well, warming up well, going to classes and making preparation. This is the foundation of my performance on stage. It is my respect for the job as a dancer and the most part of this job. I must do it as a dancer. I try to think for students by putting myself in their shoes and staying by their side. This is the only way for me to understand their problems, so that I can help them develop their passions and aspirations.

The most practical effect is that I do not gain weight fast because I work out. A deeper meaning is that dancing for Cloud Gate is like a religious practice. Touring and performing make me appreciate the journey of life. What realities and difficulties are confronting dancers in Taiwan? These issues are not only faced by dancers, but by all artists. Dancers and Taiwanese are faced with the same problems. We do not know what to do. We can only do what feels right.

To be honest I enjoy it but not exactly love it. I am saying this because I cannot create, which is why I studied at the postgraduate program for creativity. The most difficult part of choreographing for me is that I cannot find the right way to articulate something. I think the best choreographers are Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Akram Khan. They do not create beautiful dances but have master control over stage.