Mao’s Last Dancer
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
Ever have those points in your life where you think that your future dangles tentatively from a tiny filament of chance? Where a singular point can become the turning point for an entirley different life for you and your loved ones. Perhaps it was missing the train only to meet the love of your life, or not running the red light to see a hurtling semi-trailer plow through the intersection. This is a story about a young boy in a family of 9 living in crushing poverty during Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution.
Li Cunxin was that young boy, chosen on a teachers whim to enter in Madame Mao’s Dance Academy. It’s an autobiographical story, Li’s narrative speaks humbly, his language is not verbose or overtly descriptive, it’s simple yet elegant; poignant. It’s a wonderful read with introspective qualities about it; you question how hard your life really is when you complain about trivial matters. From where Li came from, it’s inspirational.
