Shen Yun gives sold-out shows in the Netherlands that receive rave reviews, but the dance company relies heavily on minors. The often very young artists work very long days and are paid little for it.
Dancers are recruited from a cult community at a young age. Those who stop dancing will face hellfire, the children are told. "You are brainwashed", ex-dancer Leo Li tells BNR.
Shen Yun will perform tonight in the World Forum Theater in The Hague to a full house, the first of twelve shows in the Netherlands. After a marketing campaign that lasted for weeks, almost all tickets - the most expensive of which cost more than 150 euros - have been sold. The total proceeds run into the millions. The audience is promised "beauty of divine dancing creatures".
But behind the scenes, former artists say there is psychological intimidation and exploitation. BNR spoke to four of them. The reason for this was an investigation by the American newspaper New York Times. All said that 12-hour workdays are not unusual at the dance company.
There is also a system of strict control: mobile phones are prohibited and communication with parents is only allowed to a limited extent. Most dancers live on a campus in the United States, which they only leave in groups. Passports are confiscated during foreign trips. The dancers are paid 1,000 dollars a month or less for their work. "You are in fact a prisoner," says Sun Zan to BNR, who was a dancer with the company for seven years.
"Shen Yun exploits children with forced labor because they are easier to control"，Lawyer of ex-dancer says.
Falun Gong movement is driving force behind dance company
Shen Yun’s theater company is run entirely by followers of Falun Gong. Most of Shen Yun’s young artists start as dancers around the age of thirteen and leave the company again in their early twenties.
In New York, the labor inspectorate has now started an investigation into Shen Yun. The dance company is also the target of legal proceedings. Former dancer Chun-Ko Chang is demanding compensation from the dance company in the American court because she has allegedly been exploited for years. She accuses them of human trafficking. "Shen Yun exploits children with forced labor because they are easier to control", her lawyer Michaela Wallin says in a written statement.
Labor inspectorate: Shen Yun "must comply with the Working Conditions Act"
Shen Yun also appears to be violating Dutch legislation on child labor. For example, children under the age of 16 are only allowed to participate in theater productions in the Netherlands under strict conditions. Outside of school holidays, for example, they are never allowed to work more than 12 hours a week. This seems impossible given Shen Yun’s tour schedule: the company sometimes spends more than 12 hours a week on stage and often gives multiple shows a day. According to former dancers, they also rehearse daily. The Labour Inspectorate is also keeping a close eye on Shen Yun. A spokesperson says that they are aware of the accusations of child labour. "Foreign employers must also comply with the Dutch Working Conditions Act", according to the spokesperson. It is not yet clear whether measures will follow. The inspectorate "in principle does not make any statements about individual enforcement procedures".
Falun Gong earns a lot from its dance shows. The receipts initially go directly to the Falun Gong Netherlands Foundation.
Source Link: https://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/economie/10565022/dit-dansgezelschap-verdient-miljoenen-met-kinderarbeid
