Mao's Last Dancer

 

I watched a movie “Mao’s Last Dancer”. The movie is a true story and a romance movie. The main character is Li Cunxin who is 11years old. Li was the sixth son of a poor family and he is chosen by a delegation from Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy to train as a ballet dancer. However his strength was too weak to catch up other student. So, he practiced harder than anyone staying up late at night to practice. Years later, he travels to Houston in a cultural exchange program invited by the artistic director Ben Stevenson and he is promoted to principal dances of the Houston Ballet Company.

 

Li had a teacher called Teacher Chang who told him a story about a frog which was in a well. I think this means that I have to try hard to experience many things. The frog didn’t have any ideas about what is outside the well before it was able to jump over it. However, after the frog which jumped over it was able to experience much more things because it was able to find a new world. Like what Li did to be a great ballet dancer, I will also try my best to achieve my dream. Teacher Chang was really important to Li because he gave inspiration to him. I also have someone who gave inspiration to me and it's my teacher in school. She always talk about something that is related to life. One day, She told me look at the future and think what I want to be when I grow up then try to think of a way how you can achieve it. If you thought about them then put them in an action so that's what I did and I found out that all I need is to study really hard to become a doctor when I grow up. That is why I am studying really hard and my grades really improved a lot.

 

When he went to Huston, Texas, he met Liz. He was supposed to go back China because of the Chinese government. Chinese government asked Li to return to China but he marries with Liz and is not forced to go back to China. Sadly they got divorced because Liz wanted to dance and Li asked her to do all the housework and made her not able to dance.

 

 

I have thought about the pros and cons about Li’s decision of not going back to China. Good things would be that Li could keep his career and doesn't need to worry about his dreams. He can keep his job as a male ballet dancer, and he can continue to love his wife. However there are some bad things too. He cannot visit his hometown and he cannot see his family in China. He still can have his job when he goes to China because Chinese admit that he is an excellent dancer. He would still be popular when he goes to China. Even though he was not able to see his family since he was young, I think Li made a good decision for not going back to China. Being a good ballet dancer is difficult and you only live once.

 

 

 

 

After five years, he has a great surprise during a performance ' the rite of spring". Li’s parents were sitting in the VIP seat to watch Li’s dance. They cried when they were watching their son Li dance. When Li saw his parents in the audience, Li's parents came up on the stage and they cried and hugged each other for a long time.

 

 

 

 

At the end Li and Mary who is also a member of Li's Company gets married. Later on, and the Chinese government gives them permission to visit China. Li returns to China and with Mary. The movie ends by Li meeting Teacher Chang and dances with Mary in front of the neighbors. I don't know what happened to Liz

 

 

 

 

 

What I like about this movie is that I can feel how hard Li tried like practicing at night alone to catch up with other students. One thing I don't like about this movie is that Li used Liz. She went through a lot of governmental problems with him. However Li asked too much to her. He keeps telling her to do all the housework and that made her not able to have time to dance. I feel sorry for Liz. Liz really want to be with Li. She really loved him.