Mao's Last Dancer

From 1972 to 1986 my avocational interest led me to become the Chairman of the National Academy of the Arts in Champaign, IL. Lacking proper funding, we suffered many deficiencies but none of our students suffered from cold, overwork, or lack of food in our school. We graduated 11 H.S. classes of students from all over the world who came to us to live and study ballet and/or music. Some of our graduates may still be performing professionally.A second connection to Li Cunxin came in 1991-92, when I traveled to Beijing and to such places as Shandong province's city of Quindao. Nearby we visited farms and watched wheat being cut with cycles, scythes, and a 1950 vintage tractor pulling a small combine. 800,000,000 Chinese peasants worked with primitive tools to be able to survive with a very low productivity. Wheat was carried in bundles to be crushed by oxen turning big round stones on a concrete pad so that men with pitch forks could toss the straw up into the air so wind would blow it aside and leave grain to be swept up into piles and be scooped into baskets! I could have met Li Cunxin's dia in a field where we determined that our biodegradable plastic could allow early germination of corn so harvest would happen in time to plant a cash vegetable crop and still plant winter wheat to pay the rent for using the People's land. Using non-degradable plastic film causes soil pollution that eventually interferes with growing the crops, but farmers had no choice to survive.The life in those communes gave no real life support to its people and when the great cultural leap came to pass, 20 million starved. For a young boy of 11, to be picked out in a freezing winter school because he might be used as a candidate for Madam Mao's notion to create a Beijing ballet school was nothing more than responding to an order- bring in some number of candidates and run crude tests to determine which ones could be forced to learn ballet for the Emperor's current replacement, the communist known as Mao Tse Tung.Having studied Chinese history at every opportunity since 1941, when I read of the adventures of Richard Haliburton, I knew enough to respect their ancient culture and even discoveries so important to my major career field of print technology. I draw these conclusions from reading this book:1.From pure chance, Li Cunxin, thanks to his parents, took the story of the frog in the bottom of the well and the chance to escape the seemingly perpetual past of his farm environment. Thanks to his determination to overcome the many teaching deficiencies, Li managed to learn and discover a lot on his own to the point of being far more recognized than his early teachers had expected. It was not his natural physical talent or cultured experience in the arts that carried him to success, but some key encouragement that combined with his great will power.Like all of us, Li made mistakes, mostly tactical, not strategic, along the way and learned from them. His accomplishments are legendary because they are real. His sense of humility and family show how material wealth was not his goal- helping his family was his first and constant goal before he was taken away and ever since!To get confused by his need to deal with bureaucratic error and stupidity that could have snuffed out his life in a way that nobody would have ever known what happened. Among millions lost to make the shift that put China today into a first class power state, Li had to find a way to survive on his own. He proves that individualism is superior to collectivism and it is not surprising to me that the Chinese are able today to still act like communism is in control and plans every life. That is no longer true. Freedom to invest and take risk has become the key to the far higher standard of living today. But Chinese know when to let it happen without observing why!That Li has recovered from an early marriage that happened to fit into an initial romantic adventure plot is not worthy of much negative comment. That both parties can and have met years after each had remarried without much more than a sense of appreciation for what happened to them in a way that did not destroy either one is apparent. That they each found more mature mates and have since made successful families come forth is the goal of all reasonable adults. Keep in mind that his excellent command of English was not present when he first married.That they both achieved both professional and private success makes this story extra delightful. That the ending of his parents lives produced profound evidence of how new material success does not need to destroy family relationships. Americans have a lot more experience at failing in this regard and we should applaud and respect what Li and Mary have shown to explain why so-called mixed racial relationships can work when each brings determination, willingness to communicate and patience to work for success. These attributes are often obviously deficient among so many cases of couples who fail in America to avoid divorce.I must now obtain the DVD, I hope, of evidence of their fine ballet skills and interpretation in recorded performances.

When my wife and I moved to Texas in the early 1980's, the Houston Ballet's performances were a refreshing antidote to the Southwest's unrelenting commercialism and fixation with football and barbecue. Under Ben Stevenson's lively direction, this troupe of superb athletes pushed the bounds of gravity with grace and verve. Among the foremost in their number was a supple young oriental dancer who was obviously feeling his way toward familiarity with American culture, but always showed uncommon spirit, sensitivity, and vitality in his approach to movement. This was Li Cunxin (pronounced Shwin-Sin). He became our favorite male dancer, and his photos are on our walls today.This marvelous autobiography by Mr. Li opened our eyes to the unimaginable gulf he had to leap in order to appear before us. When he was plucked from among millions of other peasant children to attend Beijing Dance Academy, the train ride to Beijing was his first. His meals at the Academy were the first time he'd ever had enough to eat. His untrained tendons and muscles were ruptured repeatedly by the contortions he was forced into. Beijing's approval for him to leave China on scholarship to Houston Ballet Academy was China's first such concession to an artist in almost forty years. The first time he ever felt air-conditioning was on the plane to America. His first automobile ride was from the Houston airport to Ben Stevenson's house. And so on - the simple dance outfit purchased for him upon his arrival cost the equivalent of two years of his father's salary in China.The book contains hundreds of poignant reminders of the risks Mr. Li took in breaking the bounds of his peasant heritage and infuriating both the Chinese government and his American friends when he defected. His indomitable will to survive and succeed is an inspiration to all those who have seemingly impossible aspirations. He tells the old fable of a frog trapped deep in a well, yearning to jump out and see the world beyond but knowing it will never happen. Mr. Li made it out of his well, and became a prince among dancers. His triumphant return to China to perform Romeo and Juliet, with his wife Mary McKendry dancing as Juliet, his entire family in the audience, and half a billion Chinese watching on television, is a spine-tingling culmination to his career.

When he was 11 years old, Li Cunxin was selected from his peasant community and sent to Beijing to study dance at the Beijing Dance Academy. Mao’s Last Dancer is Li’s moving memoir of his rise from near starvation to being one of the top ballet dancers in the world.Wow! What can I say about this wonderful book. I loved it from start to finish. Li Cunxin’s life is like a fairy tale. He was born into Communist China, taken away from his family at a young age, and given a gift that would change his life forever – dance. Li understood the only way he could help his family was by working hard at the Academy. He strove to be the best. Then one day he received an important opportunity. He was allowed to take part in a summer dance program in the United States. The memoir shows the world unveiling itself to Li as he realizes the grand deception Mao’s government has forced upon its people. He loves the freedom (and wealth!) of the West, and once tasting it, never wants to go back. Li’s defection to the United States in 1981 made world headlines.This is a memoir that has all the elements I could ever want. It is gripping, inspirational and genuinely moving. I cheered for Li and I cried for him. This is a book I will definitely recommend to others.

I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. Mao had such a hard upbringing but his dedication to Dance allowed him to rise to the top. An inspirational read.

An incredible story of love and hardship, of dedication and success, this book is written from the heart and tells of the enormous hardship a family endured in Mao’s China and of the events that lead to the escape and ultimate success of one of the world’s great ballet dancers.A truly moving and compelling story, I can’t wait to watch the movie.

I can't quite remember how or why I started reading the autobiography of a ballet dancer, but I am so glad that I did. You don't need to know anything about dance to enjoy it (I don't!).Through Li Cunxin's easy-to-read, genuine and honest words you build a picture of his life, which has been truly amazing. Born in rural China, then sent away from his family to the Beijing Dance Academy, his hard work and determination are inspirational. Through well-recounted stories and anecdotes, you really get a sense of what life was like, as well as an incredibly interesting insight into the Chinese cultural revolution. His impressions of the USA when he first visits are so interesting to read!Touching, fascinating, heartwarming, I've read this book several times and recommended it to many people. Now I recommend it to you!

A beautifully honest and simply written account of a lucky yong boy, who succeeded beyond expectation due to his own, as well as imposed determination. Historically relevant, this ought to be on the school curriculum. One glaring omission, was the lack of mention of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. I think I know why he left that out. Read the book and decide for yourself. This is one that really should be made into a carefully treated movie - a fringe movie perhaps. Certainly nothing more main stream style than the direction of Scumdog'.

I needed to refer to this book for school and based on lockdown couldn’t get access to the library. So this was a practical solution. Only issue is that the ebook is not transferable to other devices - in case I need to use for homework on my laptop or personal.