Li Cunxin interview reviews by Anjuli Bai

In addition to their peasant poverty, they are oppressed by the politics of Chairman Mao, who governs their lives, insists on clamorous loyalty and undying faith. They live in a commune, subject to the directives of others who live far away and far above them. It is the only world these peasants know, all else is forbidden, their very thoughts are not considered their own. What could a young boy in such circumstances possibly know about the world of the ballet? What could he possibly have in common with it? It is surely as different a cosmos as another planet would be.

And yet, there is much in common. Hard work, dedication, pride of accomplishment, years of hard tutelage, respect for teachers, long delayed gratification, mentoring and dependence upon one's peers are only a few of the hallmarks that Li Cunxin already had in common with the world of the ballet. It was to change his life and it happened all quite by chance.

China's early taste of ballet had come with the Russian émigrés who fled the Russian Revolution. Some stayed, however briefly, and taught. Then as China became a communist state there was some cultural exchange and the Chinese became enamored of the ballet. It spoke to many Chinese values: beauty, precision, art, music, dance, and the steely strength and many years of dedication necessary to fulfill a promise.

Madame Mao decided that she wanted China to excel in the ballet and to that end ordered recruitment from around the nation to fill the Academy of Dance in Beijing. Searchers went out to the provinces purposely looking among those, such as rural peasants, who had never been politically tainted in the eyes of the communist leaders. A group came to Cunxin's school to look at the bodies of the children. A few children were pulled aside for an audition. Ordered to undress, they were embarrassed, only Cunxin had underwear, so each child in turn auditioned using his underwear. Their small bodies were pushed and stretched ruthlessly about. He says that during this initial audition his hamstrings were both painfully pulled. But, he would not allow himself to cry out because he wanted to be chosen for the sake of his family.
 

cover of the book

Through the eyes of this eleven year old we see the youngster leave for the first time the small village where he has spent his life to journey to one of the most populous cities of the world – China's capitol – Beijing. His loneliness and fright are palpable. He doesn't know what ballet is. However, his parents have been promised that he will be cared for, and most of all, that he will have enough food to eat. Nothing is said of the work and deprivation that will be required of him. It is questionable that given the political realities that they or he could have refused without reprisal.

Cunxin enters his new world weighed down with his old. He must uphold the pride of his family's name, rural and unknown though they are, he is their representative. His commune, his province, his school; he feels everyone is depending upon him. And now in this huge strange capital he feels all China is watching and weighing his ability to bring glory to his nation. It's a heavy burden for a young boy.

Li Cunxin writes in a fluid, moving manner, one would never guess that English is not his native tongue. The book is engrossing and brings both tears and smiles to the reader. We cheer his hard won accolades as he falls in love with the ballet and ascends its international ladder. At the same time we share his grief and love for those he leaves behind.

This is not the usual famine to fortune tale. It is a story of determination over great odds, strokes of luck and relentless love. Ballet lovers will find the description of his early training horrifying. His first teachers have little concept how to safely train a young body. It's a wonder the children survived the “if 8 is good then 108 must better” mentality or if it's good to train in a studio then it is even better to train outside in the snow. But then, one beloved teacher changed Cunxin's hatred toward his forced study of the ballet into a love affair.

This book is well worth reading for many reasons. In the end one need not be a lover of dance to be enriched by this human story.

Addenda:
445 pages
Several pages of black and white pictures
No index