A powerful story of the human spiritLi Cunxin (pron “Lee Schwin Sing”) is a remarkable man borne of a remarkable story. He has published a remarkable book about his extraordinary life. In his runaway international best selling autobiography, Mao' s Last Dancer, Li recounts his determination, perseverance, vision, courage and hard work, and in particular, the sacred family values and integrity that he learned in poverty-stricken China that driven him to become one of the best dancers in the world. He tells of how the sixth of seven sons born to peasants grew up worshipping Mao Zedong before defecting to the United States.
Li was born into "bitter poverty". There was never enough food to go around in his family's two-bedroom home in rural China. Certain years the peasants in his village even ate tree barks to survive. But, he is quick to point out, it was a happy upbringing in a home full of love. The love of his parents gave him hope and courage.
One day, a delegation from Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy arrived at Li's commune school, part of a national tour aimed at finding young people they could whisk away to study ballet and serve in Chairman Mao's revolution. At first they passed Li without taking any notice, but just as they were walking out of his classroom, the class teacher hesitated, but just as the people from Beijing were about to walk out of the room, she suddenly tapped the last gentleman from Beijing on the shoulder and pointed at one of the students. `What about that boy?' she said. And that boy was Li.
Li's journey.
He was 11 when he left home to begin a harsh training regime at the Beijing Dance Academy. Li hated dancing during his first two years away from home and pined for his family. But fear of what he would return kept him going, and he took to heart his mother's advice: "Go and do something special with your life. Don't look back!" At first his grades were poor, but within a year his astounding capacity for work became apparent. He practised his turns at night by candlelight, and hopped, one-legged, up and down stairs with sandbags tied to his ankles to build his strength at five o’clock in the morning when others were still asleep.
"I worked as hard as I knew how," he tells. "I once fell asleep in bed in the splits position and when I woke up I had to be helped up by my classmates because I couldn't feel my legs at all. By now I was practising in those studios five times a day compared to the usual once-a-day routine of the other students." Li was 18 when the first US cultural delegation went to China. There was Ben Stevenson, one of the world’s most respected teacher, choreographer and the Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet, offering two summer school scholarships to the Houston Ballet Academy. Li was chosen.
Li’s Western experiences were of shock and disbelief. He eventually defected.
Li was subsequently locked up in the Chinese Consulate in Houston. This created a stand-off between the Chinese and the American governments. Across town, George Bush senior, then US vice-president intervened. FBI agents had surrounded the consulate in Houston, and negotiations between Chinese and US diplomats had begun. His defection was the headline story in America. Twenty-one hours later, Li emerged to face not only freedom but also a huge crowd of television cameras and reporters.
Li danced as a star with the Houston Ballet for sixteen years and became one of the best dancers in the world. He guest performed around the world with some of the best ballet companies and won two silver and a bronze medal at three International Ballet Competitions. While dancing in London, he fell in love with an Australian born ballerina with a major ballet company in England, Mary McKendry. They married in 1987, and in 1995 moved to Melbourne where Li became a principal dancer with the Australian Ballet.
By now 34, an age at which many dancers have already hung up their shoes, Li was wondering how he would continue to support his two (soon to be three) children when his dancing career ended. He knew that a tough decision has to be made, so in 1997 he began studying at the Australian Securities Institute with a view to becoming a stockbroker. For his final two years with the Australian Ballet, this meant rising at 5am to start ballet practices, then racing to the stock exchange by 8am to work as a stockbroker until noon. By the time he joined the rest of the Australian Ballet dancers for rehearsals, he had already put in a full day's work (Li is now a senior manager at one of the biggest stockbroking firms in Australia).
"Mao's Last Dancer"
Li’s Autobiography, was published in 2003 and immediately hit the top of Australia’s best sellers list. It was number 1 in the non-fiction category and won the Book of the Year Award in Australia, the Christopher Award in America and it was short-list for the National Biography Award recently. It is in the 37th printing, published and sold in over 20 countries and a featured film is in production and is directed by Bruce Beresford.
His book is a unique story of determination, passion, integrity and love. His journey filled with dreams shattered and revitalized. It is an empowering tale with so many lessons for all of us. This combined with the moving supporting ballet sequences and still photographs create an experience to be cherished.
As a motivational and inspirational speaker, Li’s unique real life story has inspired so corporations and conferences. It is a unique story that has touched people deep in the heart. Li is one of the top international speakers today. He has been invited speak at some of the most prestigious conferences and to some of the biggest corporations in the world.
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