Mao’s Last Dancer, directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy, Bride of the Wind, Breaker Morant, Double Jeopardy), this is the true story of Li Cunxin, who was plucked from his village school room  and brought to Bejing to train as a classical ballet dancer, in accordance with Chairman Mao’s great vision. The story unfolds as the boy is taken from his family and subjected to rigorous training by mostly cold-hearted instructors. His hard work and persistence pay off and  he develops into a dancer with enough promise that he is noticed by Houston Ballet choreographer Ben Stevenson and invited to come to America as a guest dancer.

Thus begins a new chapter of Li Cunxin’s life. After spending some time in America, he chooses not to return to China.

The dancing by Chi Cao in this movie is truly beautiful –  Cao  joined Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1995 and was promoted to Principal in 2002.He trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and the Royal Ballet School. The movie is based on the book. Either are worth the time.

Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School is an unexplored gem. We happened upon this movie by accident, but it’s got an all-star cast (Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Donnie Wahlberg and John Goodman) and is worth watching more than once. Frank Keane (Robert Carlyle), recently widowed, is driving his bakery truck along a deserted stretch of highway when he comes upon the scene of a horrible accident. He calls 911 and is told to keep the injured motorist talking until they arrive. The name of the injured driver is Steve Mills (John Goodman) who was rushing to an important appointment made thirty-five years ago with his grammar school sweetheart. Steve finally realizes he’ll never be able to keep his promise he asks Frank to keep the appointment for him.

Frank honors Steve’s request and the course of his life is altered forever.

For anyone who loves dance… or has suffered through childhood social dance classes, the movie will have you laughing, crying, or both.

Author: Smith, Cynthia Leitich

Title: Jingle Dancer

Publisher: Morrow Junior Books, 2000

ISBN: 0688162428

Ages: 4-8

Jenna lives for jingle dancing. Watching her grandma dance to the brum brum brum of the powwow drum, Jenna asks if she can dance at the next pow wow. “Next powwow, you could dance Girls,” Grandma answers. “But we don’t have enough time to mail-order tins for rolling jingles.”

But Jenna wants her dress to sing. She loves the tradition that has been passed down through many generations of family. She puts on her thinking cap to solve her problem. Her days are soon filled with visits to other family members and friends, like Aunt Sis, Mrs. Scott and Cousin Elizabeth. Jenna hears stories from each and asks them to help her collect enough jingles for her dress. With a little extra help from Grandma, Jenna’s dress is ready to sing at last.

When the big day arrives, Jenna remembers each person who helped her and dedicates her dance to each of them, since they are not able to dance themselves.

Cynthia Leitich Smith’s lyrical prose relates the story of how a contemporary Native American Girl turns to family and friends for help. Watercolor illustrations by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu bring the story to life.

Share: Tweet

title: My Friend Maya Loves To Dance

author: Cheryl Willis Hudson

illustrator: Eric Velasquez

ages: 4-8

publisher: Abrams Books For Young Readers, 2008

ISBN: 9780810983281

A young narrator describes her friend Maya’s love of dance, which is visibly present everywhere Maya goes. Whether she’s at the local mall, performing during worship at her church or pretending she’s dancing for a queen, Maya’s passion for dancing is contagious- for her friend the narrator, and all the other people she meets. Indeed, Maya, a young African American girl, is the picture of grace, dancing to every kind of music she hears; jazz, blues, rap, Bach or blues. Her lithe, willowy form is portrayed across every page in different settings and costumes. She is just as comfortable in a tutu or jeans… she’s even shown wearing Kente cloth.

This lyrical story is a pleasurable read. Ms. Hudson’s flowing verse echoes Maya’s graceful movements:

My friend Maya loves to dance

Wherever there is music,

Maya takes a stance,

She points her toes,

Then away she goes.

Dancing is fun.

Maya Knows!

In the closing lines, it is revealed that the narrator is confined to a wheelchair, yet she is still inspired to dance by her friend:

Maya dances strong, and free

With joy all can see.

Dancing is magic for her and for me.

Colorful photo-realistic illustrations by Eric Velasquez, a recipient of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for new talent, bring the story to life. This book is a great pick for anyone who loves to dance or dreams of being a dancer one day. Perfect for story time, bedtime and anytime in between, readers 4-8 and their caregivers will fall in love with Maya and dance by the time they reach the final page.

Like most dancers, I look for workout clothing that is comfortable, well-designed, and built to last. Zobha, based in Northern California is currently in the running as a top contender for workout wear because their products satisfy on every level. “Zobha” is a Sanskrit word meaning grace, beauty and brilliance. Zobha’s founder and CEO, Jamie Hanna, is a Yoga Alliance certified instructor with a business background in apparel and sourcing, and a life-long interest in fashion, design and art. She obviously knows her stuff.

Key reasons to choose Zobha workout gear:

• Fabrics are high quality and durable. I love the feel of good fabric, especially rich, thick cotton that has a lot of give. Built-in support is always a plus.

• Colors and prints are unique and pleasing.

• Styles stand out above the rest. Many are unusual and quite artful. They can just as easily be worn out in the world when you’re done in the studio.

• Zobha gives to the community by donating to Headstand,  a program that brings yoga to the classrooms of children at risk, and other programs.

I like feeling stylish, even when I’m getting ready to sweat.

Dancers really are different than the average human. In a study published in the American Journal, Public Library of Science Genetics, Psychology Prof. Richard P. Ebstein, head of the Hebrew University Psychology Department’s Scheinfeld Center for Human Genetics in the Social Sciences and his research associates have shown, through DNA examination, that dancers show consistent differences in two key genes from the general population.

Consistent differences were noted in these two key genes: genes that provide the code for the serotonin transporter and arginine vasopressin receptor 1a. Both genes are involved in the transmission of information between nerve cells. The serotonin transporter regulates the level of serotonin, a brain transmitter that contributes to spiritual experience and feelings of well-being, among other behavioral traits. The vasopressin receptor has been shown in many animal studies to modulate social communication and bonding behaviors.

Dancers were compared with athletes as well as those who were both non-dancers and non-athletes. (Athletes were chosen for comparison since they require a good deal of physical stamina like dancers.)
When the results were combined and analyzed, it was clearly shown that the dancers exhibited particular genetic and personality characteristics that were not found in the other two groups. The dancer ‘type’, says Ebstein, clearly demonstrates qualities that are not necessarily lacking but are not expressed as strongly in other people: a heightened sense of communication, often of a symbolic and ceremonial nature, and a strong spiritual personality trait.

The obvious question remains: will science soon prove that dance makes humans happier and more cooperative? If so, it might just be America’s next big thing. Which might not be such a bad thing, after all.

More about DNA: