Alexandra Posted December 6, 2003 Share Posted December 6, 2003 There's an interview by Jane Simpson on ballet.co this month with Li Cunxin on the occasion of his new book, an autobiography, "Mao's Last Dancer." The book won't be out in America for several months, according to Amazon. Li Cunxin interview From the real-life Nureyev to the fictional Billy Elliott, these days we're all familiar with the legend of the boy who falls in love with ballet and fights his way through to become a dancer. Well, Li Cunxin's story isn't at all like that: in fact it's quite the opposite. This is the tale of a boy sitting quietly in his primary school in a remote area of China, knowing almost nothing and caring less about ballet, when a couple of visitors walk in, pick out one of the girls and say 'You: you're going to be a dancer'. And just as they're leaving, the teacher points at Li and says 'Why don't you try him as well?' - and Li begins a journey which takes him via years of hard work, defection to the West, and stardom in America to the present day, when he lives in Melbourne, an Australian citizen and a successful stockbroker, with an Australian wife and three children and an autobiography which has been in the bestseller lists for the last ten weeks. Link to comment
sandik Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 Cunxin also gave the Peggy van Praagh Memorial Address at the Body Talk conference in Melbourne last October -- a part of the text is in the latest edition of AudDance National Forum and the full text will be on their website soon. In his speech he talks about his early training in China. <www.ausdance.org.au> Link to comment
silvy Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 I think I saw him dancing with Ballet de Santiago (one of Chile's ballet companies, which is based on Santiago's Teatro Municipal), but I am not sure (this must have been around year 1986). Could someone please clarify? Silvy Link to comment
Victoria Leigh Posted December 18, 2003 Share Posted December 18, 2003 Silvy, Li was in Houston Ballet at that time, and it's very possible that he might have been making a guest appearance in Chile. If Ivan Nagy was the director of the company at that time, then it is very likey that Li was there. Link to comment
silvy Posted December 19, 2003 Share Posted December 19, 2003 Yes, Victoria, Ivan Nagy was the director of the company at that time. I saw the company when they came to Montevideo (I saw Raymonda grand pas), with Sara Nieto as prima ballerina (she is an Uruguayan). I seem to recall Li Cunxin was somewhere in the cast. Silvy Link to comment
nikki00 Posted December 22, 2003 Share Posted December 22, 2003 I'm from Australia, where the book has been out since around September (I believe). I only recently got the book as an early christmas present, and it has to be one of the best dance autobiographies (sp) I've ever read. It's worth getting if you can. I hope that everyone enjoys it as much as I did Link to comment
sneds Posted January 6, 2004 Share Posted January 6, 2004 Hi! I grew up watching Li at the Houston Ballet, and was really excited to read the book. It is now available on both amazon.com and amazon.co.uk, and it's a must read! Kate Link to comment
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