Agreed, britomart
Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to Stage This Thursday
Liu Yan was set to dazzle the world at the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics, but a fall during rehearsal left her paralyzed from the waist down. But she never stopped dancing, and Thursday (May 15) she returns to the stage for the first time since her accident in the world premiere of The Red Thread, at Poly Theatre.
Billed as "a French-Chinese musical and choreographic creation featuring both able-bodied and disabled artists," the performance was choreographed by Kilina Crémona, who is also disabled – she lost her hearing overnight. The music is interpreted by the Shanghai and Treffort Percussion Ensembles, percussionist Thierry Moriglio, and directed by musician and composer Alain Goudard.
The performance is part of the Croisements Festival, which runs through July 10, featuring 100 events in more than 40 Chinese cities, with close to 1,000 artists engaging in encounters with over a million people. The festival is particularly special this year as France and China celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Tickets are available online, from the highly reasonable price of RMB 50 each, all the way up to RMB 1,000. All categories are still available at the time of writing, but won't be for long.
Note: although the National Centre for the Performing Arts is depicted above, the performance will be staged at Poly Theatre in Dongzhimen.
Photos: Croisements Festival, China Daily
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Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...
I'm not defending the comment as is ("sideboob") but attempting to (admittedly rather awkwardly) say that I'd bet someone in a wheelchair for the past 6 years would perhaps relish a moment or two of being recognized for something else than being wheelchair-bound.
Yeah, I totally get the whole wanting to be seen as something other than "The Disabled Dancer"... I was more protesting the TONE of that particular comment, wishing there were some more, um, decent observations than that among the Beijinger's male population.
So yes, she looks great... What's wrong with just saying THAT, something more along the lines of "she looks awesome" or "nice figure" or just about ANYTHING other than the above comment? And then perhaps commenting on the ACTUAL point of the article--the tremendous achievement of this woman against tremendous odds?
Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...
I'm not defending the comment as is ("sideboob") but attempting to (admittedly rather awkwardly) say that I'd bet someone in a wheelchair for the past 6 years would perhaps relish a moment or two of being recognized for something else than being wheelchair-bound.
Thematically I'm drawing from a recent reading of "The Fault in Our Stars" where the cancer-stricken protagonists long for the opportunity to be treated as anything but pitiable cancer patients, even when they are not being treated so nicely -- aka even being insulted is equated with people treating you like a normal person rather than a victim, which gets tiresome
Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...
Admin,
You are actually going to defend that idiotic statement? That's a version of admiring her attractiveness to you? You think most woman would find that an ego boosting compliment?
"Ohh, look at the crotch view! Nice butt crack. Look at that nut sack bulge on that dude, wow." Would most men think, hey, I must being looking good!
Its a story about a woman recovering from a life changing tragedy. Its such a childish and uninteresting comment, that makes Beavis and Butthead look like scarlet prose, and you find it necessary to give it your tacit thumbs up.
I am sure glad to see you hold this site to such stupifyingly low standards.
Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...
er, how about "nice nightgown?"
No but seriously this is a really inspiring event, I hope those of you free on Thursday turn out to support it.
And in a weirdly tangential way, my guess is an attractive woman in a wheelchair is not entirely opposed to being ogled a bit -- aka being recognized not because of her disability but because of her sexiness (granted, "inspiring dance! would be an even more appropriate comment ... though its hard to convey dance via a blog picture). I imagine if she was dressed in sexy, revealing clothing only to have someone say "nice wheelchair" she'd probably be disappointed.
Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...
Re: Beijing Dancer Paralyzed at '08 Olympics Makes Return to...