“Your son is abroad with Shen Yun. You must tell us about his activities… or else,” said the Chinese police, repeatedly, to the family of Steven Wang, principal dancer with Shen Yun Performing Arts.

In this heart-rending television interview, Steven tells about how he has channeled grief into beauty on stage.

Chinese police began showing a special interest in Steven and his family after they imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately killed his father—simply because the father followed the spiritual practice known as Falun Dafa, and the police feared exposure.

When Steven joined Shen Yun, they began ramping up the pressure. Police went so far as to interrupt the wedding ceremony of his sister to try to get information on Steven.

To date, Steven has performed for about 3 million people as a dancer with Shen Yun.