Mao's Last Dancer Page #2

a 'chink', Li,

what it means is that...

...they see the light

that's there inside of you.

Oh! Oh... fantastic.

And trace the leg,

follow the line.

Nice, Lori.

Pull back. Just feed her out.

And extend the leg. Lovely.

Good, good.

Yeah, yeah.

Very good. Very good. Alright?

In Chnese, we say 'will go',

'go today', 'go tomorrow',

'go yesterday,

'you go', 'I go', 'she go',

'we all go'.

- Right.

- Much, much easier.

English changes all time.

Youre doing very well.

Thank you.

Chnese official not come here.

What do you mean?

- She lau ban

- Lau ban?

Um... boss person.

In China, class enemy.

She looks like an opera diva.

What? What is it?

I am with you, American girl.

Mm-hm.

Make trouble for Ben.

No.

It's OK. No one has to know.

Um... here. Try this.

What is it?

It's, um, vegetable from sea.

Good?

- God, it's so hard to chew

- Hard to chew.

Yeah, like English!

Um...

Thank you very much,

Elizabeth... um, Liz.

Thank you, Li.

I had a nice night.

Nice night?

Hello!

Hi.

Where have you been?

Uh... I go Chinatown.

Um... movie - watch movie.

- A kung-fu movie?

- Yes, Ben. I go bed now.

Nice night.

Goodnight.

Huh?

GOOD... night.

Oh, yes Uh... good... night.

Very good.

Fantastic.

Alright, yeah, just a litte more

over the shoulder next time.

I want to take it from the lift.

- Just a ttle more sustained.

- Sure.

OK? Because I thlnk

you have time musically.

- Oh, yeah.

- Alright.

So, seven, two, three,

eight, two, three...

And up with the accent,

and hold a little longer.

- Argh!

- Bobby!

What have you done?

What's happened?

Oh, God.

Argh, sorry.

- Oh, Christ.

They'll bring you some ice.

What about one of

the principals or soloists?

Well, they're all away

on vacation.

David Trembath's

at Galveston.

Wel he can make it

here in time, surely.

- Li's better than he is.

- It's tonight, Ben.

And Li's just a student here.

The union wont allow it.

Ben, this is the biggest night

on the arts calendar.

How's he supposed to learn

'Don Quixote' in three hours?

He already knows the solo.

All he has to learn

is the pas de deux.

Everybody who is anyone

is gonna be here tonight,

including the Vice President.

Yes I know, but Li told me

he once danced forthe great

Madame Mao - we're alright.

But he's Chinese.

What I mean is...

I mean, he can't play

a Spaniard, can he?

Well, unless I'm mistaken, Betty Lou,

I distinctly remember

Marlon Brando playing

a Japanese villager.

Oh, I loved that movie!

Ben, what if he's not up to it?

He's up to it, Cynthia.

And keep the Spanish feel,

keep that attitude.

When you come out of

the la seconde,

just do it with as many

pirouettes as you can.

And be sure to finish

on the music.

That's...

It's not too late, Li.

I mean, we can cancel.

Um, no.

- Um, I can do this, Ben.

- No, you can do it.

I know you can do it. Go from

the top of the pas de deux?

- The beginning?

- Yes. From the beginning.

OK.

And... tomb, pas de bourre,

glissade, lift, pirouette.

Tomb, arabesque, soutenu,

get close to her,

ready for the one-arm lift.

OK.

OK.

When the show starts, if you can't

see there, you can...

Oh, thanks.

I hate the opera.

But they have

the ballet too.

I just hope

it all works out.

Ladies and

gentlemen, take your seats.

Tonight's performance of

'Die Fledermaus'

will commence in two minutes.

Vice President Bush

and his wife, Barbara,

are attending the opening of

Houston Opera's

summer season

'Die Fledermaus',

by Johann Strauss.

Stars of the Houston Ballet

are also...

Oh, hi.

Hello.

You better be right,

Ben Stevenson.

Consul Zhang,

so glad you could make it.

Lori, um... woman dancer

called, um... 'ballerina'.

What you call man?

'Danseur noble'.

Not nice, not like 'ballerina'.

OK well how about

Big Ballerino?

Ballerino.

I like.

All set, Big Ballerino?

All set, Big Ballerina.

Ladies und gentlemen,

I would like to present to you all

two very special guests

from sunny Spain.

Oh, come on.

Not bad.

(ORCHESTRA PLAYS ROUSING MUSIC

FROM 'DON QUIXOTE'

BY L. MINKUS)

Oh, boy.

Fantastic!

Bravo! Bravo!

Bravo! Bravo!

How 'bout that, huh?

Bravo!

OK. Oh, wait, wait, wait.

There's a card.

OK:

"The lucky carp

wind chime.

"Legend has itthat

as the carp swims upstream,

"it has to leap... "

"... over many obstacles,

"and with the final leap

"it turns into

the celestial dragon. "

Li, wait.

Slow down one second.

Um...

I'm a virgin.

Um... a virgin?

It means I've never

done it before.

Done what?

I've never had sex before.

You know what sex is?

Yeah.

One, two, three, four, five, sex!

No. No.

- No?

- No, no.

It's how a man and a woman

make a baby together.

You want to make a baby?

No! No.

No, no, no, no. No!

That's not what I'm tryng to say.

No. What I'm... what I'm...

Never mind.

So the roster for the opening week

of 'Swan Lake'

will be posted today, but Li

wil be guesting Bobby's role.

You've got to be kidding, right?

No offence, Li,

but I'm Bobbys understudy.

Of course you are, David.

It's just an opportunity for Houstonians

to see Li dance

before he goes back, that's all.

Alright?

In fact, I have applied

to the Chinese Government

for permission for us all

to tour China next year.

Thats right.

I'll be in that.

Oh, yeah, me too.

- Hey, you just stay injured.

It'd be a first for

an American company.

More kung-fu?

Yes More kung-fu.

Fantastic.

Goodnight.

Goodnight!

Thank you

for com ng, Mr Stevenson.

No, not at all.

I received a telex

from Beijing last night.

I'm sorry, but the request

for Cunxin to have

his stay extended

has been refused.

But I thought...

Is there anything we can do?

No, Mr Stevenson, there isn't.

Li, don't worry. I'll...

You'll be able to come back.

I'll make sure of it.

I'll do everything I can.

I promise.

Ben not understand.

He's too much

in love with China.

In China, not so easy.

Tell you what to do,

where to go, what can say.

Maybe I can't come back.

You know, I must dance

political ballet in China,

but I dance better here.

Because feel more... free.

Well, there are several

optons available for you

to stay in the United States,

if that's your wish.

Seeking political asylum is one,

but that's the last option

I'd recommend

because it means

youd have to defect.

No, no defect.

Li's worried abouthis family.

He doesn't want to make things difficut

for them.

He also wants to be able

to go back and see them.

OK, well, from what

I've read and heard about you,

I'm certain we'd be

able to qualify you,

based on your extraordinary skills

as a performing artist.

What would

be involved, Charles?

Well, we'd have to get

supporting statements

and a petition signed

by an employer,

the Houston Ballet Company,

no doubt.

Alternatively, if you were

in a relationship

or planning to

get married soon

and your spouse was

a US citizen,

well, there would be

no issue whatsoever

because the Chinese Government

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