Maos Last Dancer

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Li Cunxin, author of Mao’s Last Dancer, once said, “In order to fly you have to be free”. Throughout Mao’s Last Dancer, Cunxin describes his struggle to find this freedom in Communist China in the late 1900’s. However, growing up in the impoverished village of Qingdao with six other brothers was burdensome and his fate looked no better than becoming a farm laborer (3). Despite these adversities, Li overcame unthinkable tasks to become a world-renowned dancer. For Li, getting there was not simple, but the messages presented through his story are inspirational and empowering. Mao’s Last Dancer should be a required reading in high school, as the themes in this autobiography show students what it takes to overcome challenging obstacles in …show more content…
Li didn’t always start off as an amazing dancer. In fact, the he admittedly remembers, “I was considered a laggard by most of my teachers. I labored through the days with no aim, no self-confidence, and I couldn’t keep up with the pace” (164). The prestigious dance classes seemed far too advanced for Li’s skill level and he had no motivation to do well in his classes. However, he was able to push through this complicated time by finding something to strive for. One of his professors, Teacher Xiao, told him to treat pirouettes in the same way you would treat a mango. Li was told by Teacher Xiao to, “Discover the secret and essence of the pirouettes. If you don’t go all the way and taste the pulp, someone else will…” (239). Through this analogy, Li found himself working harder and working towards tasting the mango. He persevered through failure, knowing that he had something to accomplish. Li always found something to approve upon and stated that, “I woke at five every morning. I strapped sandbags to my ankles and hopped up and down the four flights of stairs in our studio building” (241). He was simply determined to become the best dancer he could even if it meant working tirelessly and more frequently than the other dancers. What set Li apart from others was his clear vision of success and finding freedom through dance. In the end, his determination pays off when he performs the Nutcracker with the Houston Dance Company in America in front of his mother and father, which he hasn’t seen in six years (373). This milestone marked a time in Li’s life when he tasted the mango. His hard work paid off, even though he wasn’t the strongest dancer from the beginning. His demonstration of determination is something that high schoolers can learn from and apply to their own lives through school or
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