Li Cunxin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Li Cunxin
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Cunxin in 2010
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| Born | 26 January 1961 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Mackey
(m. 1981; div. 1987)Mary McKendry
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Li Cunxin | |||||||||
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| Chinese | 李存信 | ||||||||
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Li Cunxin (born January 26, 1961) is a famous Chinese-Australian ballet dancer. He later became a stockbroker. From 2012 to 2023, he was the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet. His life story is very inspiring. It shows how dedication and hard work can lead to amazing achievements.
Contents
Li Cunxin's Early Life
Li Cunxin was born in 1961 in a poor village in China. He was the sixth of seven brothers. His family struggled a lot. His early life was during Mao Zedong's time as leader of China. At age eleven, he was chosen to attend the Beijing Dance Academy. This was a very special school.
Training at the Beijing Dance Academy
At the academy, students trained for 16 hours a day. The rules were very strict. Li found ballet hard at first. But then he met a teacher named Xiao. Teacher Xiao loved ballet. This passion inspired Li. By the time he finished his seven years of training, he was the best in his class.
Li Cunxin's Ballet Career
A famous ballet director, Ben Stevenson, visited the Beijing Dance Academy. He offered scholarships to two dancers. They would study at the Houston Ballet in the United States. Li Cunxin was one of the chosen dancers. He was one of the first Chinese students to study in the US.
Dancing in the United States
After his summer study, Li decided to stay in the West. This was a big decision. He was held at the Chinese Consulate in Houston. His choice made big news in America. He married an American dancer, Elizabeth Mackey, in 1981. This helped him avoid being sent back to China. After many hours of talks, he was allowed to stay. He became a free man, but he lost his Chinese citizenship.
Li danced with the Houston Ballet for 16 years. He won several medals in ballet competitions.
Moving to Australia
In London, Li met an Australian ballerina named Mary McKendry. They married in 1987. In 1995, they moved to Melbourne, Australia. Li became a main dancer with the Australian Ballet.
In 2012, Li became the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet. He helped make Brisbane's cultural scene even better. In 2023, Li and his wife Mary decided to retire. Li had a heart condition. Mary was also getting treatment for cancer. Li is now retired and lives in Brisbane.
Awards and Honours
Li Cunxin has received many awards. In 2009, he was named Australian Father of the Year.
Spider Named After Li Cunxin
In 2016, scientists named a new spider species after him. It was called Maratus licunxini. Dr. Barbara Baehr from the Queensland Museum named it. She said a ballet performance reminded her of the spider's amazing mating dance. Li was very honored by this. He said the spider's dance was like ballet.
Other Recognitions
In 2019, Li was given the Officer of the Order of Australia award. This was for his great service to the performing arts. In 2023, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Queensland. He also gave a speech at the graduation ceremony.
Li Cunxin's Stockbroking Career
In 1995, Li sprained his ankle. While recovering, he started learning about stockbroking. He had become interested in it while in Houston. He worked at a stockbroking firm part-time. He also continued dancing with the Australian Ballet.
He worked at both jobs for two years. He believed these were his best years as a dancer. He felt he reached a new level of skill and artistry. In 1999, at age 38, Li retired from ballet. He then worked full-time as a stockbroker.
Mao's Last Dancer
In 2003, Li Cunxin wrote his life story. The book is called Mao's Last Dancer. It won many awards, including Australian Book of the Year. A children's version of the book was also published. It is called Mao's Last Dancer: The Peasant Prince.
In 2009, Mao's Last Dancer was made into a feature film. It was directed by Bruce Beresford. The film won an award at the São Paulo International Film Festival.
Li Cunxin's Personal Life
Li Cunxin's first marriage was to Elizabeth Mackey in 1981. They divorced in 1987. He married Mary McKendry in the same year. They have three children: Sophie (born 1988), Thomas (born 1992), and Bridie (born 1997). Li and Mary retired together at the end of 2023.
