The prize was presented for the first time to SHEN YUN (the Divine Performing Arts Troupe), at the private performance on 4 March 2008 in Geneva, by Mme Armene Stakian, renowned Swiss violinist.

The Foundation offered a prize to the company of artists in March 2008, by way of thanks for the noble mission that the troupe has set itself and to honour the artist performers for their enormous technical discipline and the precision of their dance, worthy of the finest tradition of the Swiss Watch Industry, origin of « the Tradition of Excellence Prize ».

Xiu Guo has performed with the Performing Arts Troupe of the Southern Military Region, the Art Institute of the Central Southern Military Region, the Performing Arts Troupe of the Central Southern Military Region Arts Theater, and the Performing Arts Troupe of the Guangzhou Military Region. Ms. Guo specialized in dance instruction while with the Performance Troup of the Guangzhou Military Region. During the last four decades, she has taught many students who have played leading roles in performance groups. She currently serves as the Director of Divine Performing Arts touring company and Principal of Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. She was the Chair of the Judging Committee of NTDTV’s 2007 International Chinese Classical Dance Competition.

Tia Zhang was a member of the first graduating class of the Beijing Academy of Dance, where she specialized in classical ballet while also training in classical Chinese dance and ethnic dance. She was formerly a principal dancer with Beijing’s National Ballet of China, and taught, subsequently, at the Beijing Academy of Dance. Ms. Zhang taught at the National Ballet School in Toronto, Canada, from 1981 to 2004. Since taking up the practice of Falun Gong, she has come to prioritize moral self-cultivation and the value of traditional culture. Ms. Zhang currently serves as the Company Manager of the New York company of Divine Performing Arts, for which she is also a choreographer.

Designated a “National First-Class Performer” of China, Ningfang Chen was for over 30 years a member of China’s Central Philharmonic Orchestra, during which time she held concurrent posts as an instructor of flute at the Central Philharmonic Society’s conservatory, Beijing Normal University, and Beijing Concert Hall. Ms. Chen currently serves as Orchestra Manager of the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra, for which she is also a principal flutist and composer.

Rutang Chen graduated from Hubei College of the Arts, after which he conducted China’s Central Philharmonic Orchestra (the predecessor of China’s National Symphony Orchestra) and served as its Manager. For over three decades Mr. Chen was a cellist with the Orchestra, earning him the designation “National First-Class Performer.” Along with the Central Philharmonic Society Orchestra, Mr. Chen has conducted the Central Philharmonic Society Chorus and the Inner Mongolia Broadcast Performing Arts Troupe Orchestra. Currently, he conducts both the Divine Land Marching Band and the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra.

XueJun Wangspecializes in Chinese classical and folk dance, ballet, dance education, and choreography. Upon graduating from the Central University for Nationalities and Beijing Academy of Dance, he performed as a principal dancer for the Guangzhou Dance company between 1978 and 1984. In 1984 he was the First Prize winner of the Guangzhou Region Professional Dance Competition. Mr. Wang joined the Sydney Dance Company in 1992 and performed in the company’s premiere of Synergy with Synergy. In 2005 and 2006, he was invited to join NTDTV to prepare for the Global Chinese New Year Spectacular performances, at which he was a principal dancer. Mr. Wang currently serves as an Assistant Company Manager of the touring company of Divine Performing Arts, where he is also a choreographer and principal dancer.

Michelle Ren began training in artistic gymnastics at the age of six. At China’s National Artistic Gymnastics Competition she took fourth place, and at Liaoning Province’s Taoli Bei (Peach and Plum Cup) Dance Competition took first place in her division (youth). Ms. Ren was later second runner-up in the national Popular Culture Award Competition of China. In 2007, she won first prize in the Adult Female Division of New Tang Dynasty Television’s (NTDTV) International Chinese Classical Dance Competition. Ms. Ren currently serves as a choreographer and principal dancer with Divine Performing Arts.

Yi Cao graduated from the Beijing Academy of Dance with specialization in Chinese Ethnic Dance. She has served as a solo dancer, dance instructor, and choreographer for various song and dance troupes. Ms. Cao is an authority on classical Chinese dance. She is presently an instructor at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and a choreographer with Divine Performing Arts.

As instructor at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, Yungchia Chen was previously a lecturer in dance at the Dance Department of Central University for Nationalities, Beijing. Before coming to the United States, he was the Artistic Director of the Best of Dance in Taipei and a council member of the Dance Association of the Republic of China. Trained in traditional Chinese dance, Chinese folk dance, and ballet, Mr. Chen is the winner of numerous awards, including the Gold Medal at NTDTV’s first International Chinese Classical Dance Competition; an International Cultural Exchange Award; a Silver Medal in choreography at Japan’s Kitakyushu International Dance Competition; the Formosa Prize at Taiwan’s Dancing the Great Land competition; the Flying Phoenix Award of the Dance Association of the Republic of China; a Silver Medal (in performance) and the Gardener Award (in pedagogy) at China’s national Peach and Plum Cup Dance Competition; and a Gold Medal in the dance division of the Youth Arts Competition of Guizhou province. Mr. Chen currently serves as a choreographer and principal dancer with Divine Performing Arts.

Vina Lee is a graduate of the Beijing Academy of Dance, and was formerly a principal artist with Guangdong Dance Theatre. After moving to Australia, she joined the Sydney Dance Company. Ms. Lee currently serves as the Assistant Company Manager of the New York company of Divine Performing Arts, where she is also a choreographer and principal dancer.

One of China’s most celebrated tenors of recent decades, Guimin Guan was among the first artists to be named a “National First-Class Performer” by China’s Ministry of Culture and has since been honored by China’s Foreign Ministry as an “Outstanding Professional and Contributor.” Mr. Guan has recorded soundtracks for over 50 movies and television shows, and won many awards in China and around the world. He has served as a judge for many national vocal competitions in China. In 2007, Mr. Guan was Chairman of the Judging Committee for NTDTV’s International Chinese Vocal Competition. Along with serving as an Associate Director of Divine Performing Arts, he is also a tenor soloist.

Xue Bai distinguished herself in China by winning the country’s National Excellent Performer Award. She studied at Shenyang Conservatory, and was formerly a soloist with the Shenyang Song and Dance Troupe. For many years Ms. Bai was soloist with the China Youth Light Music Orchestra, and sang as a special-invite soloist for the Changchun Film Studio Orchestra. She is currently a soloist with Divine Performing Arts.

Jiansheng Yang is a graduate of China’s prestigious Central Conservatory of Music, and was a member of the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China. Her teachers have included the great Gino Bechi and Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. Ms. Yang has won the Silver Screen award at China’s National Youth Singing Competition, and pursued further study at the Hamburg Academy of Music and Theatre. Since 2004 she has regularly been invited by NTDTV to join its Chinese New Year show as part of its international tour.

Formerly a soloist with the Heilongjiang Province Arts Troupe, Min Jiang has studied under the tutelage of many accomplished vocalists, training in both folk and classical Western technique. She has performed in NTDTV’s Chinese New Year shows the past three years, and toured many nations around the world, singing in a number major cities.

Xiaochun Qi began the study of Erhu performance at the age of six, and is a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. In 1991 she received the Performer’s Award at the 14th “Spring of Shanghai” International Erhu Competition. In recent years Ms. Qi has frequently performed on invitation throughout North America, including at cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, Florida, and Toronto. She has performed in NTDTV’s annual Chinese New Year shows since 2004. In 2007 Ms. Qi joined the Divine Performing Arts, and toured the world performing to acclaim in nearly a hundred shows.