Interview with Ma Li (馬麗) and Zhai Xiaowei (翟孝偉) - PART 3.
Interview:
PART 1: http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=4UuA7qYrzeg
PART 2: http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=I5TxNCSXBBw
She without arm, he without leg - ballet "Hand in Hand": http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c
Information from bl0901:
The girl (Ma, Li) was a beautiful promising professional ballerina when she lost her right arm in a car accident in 1996. She was only 19. Her handsome boy friend walked away from her.
She tried to kill herself only to be saved by her parents. Her love for her parents gave her the strength to live. She learned how to live her life independently.
She learned how to write Chinese beautifully and how to do many things including combing her hair, which she had to cut short from the waist-length to shoulder-length. She learned to cook and to wash clothes ... In a few months she opened her small bookstore.
Five years later in 2001, she was invited to compete at the 5th national special performing art competition for handicaps and won the gold medal. That success gave her the hope to return to her beloved stage.
In 2002, a handsome 20-year-old young man (Li, Tao) madly fell in love with her. She ran a way from him for fear of being hurt again.
After she disappeared in Beijing, Tao searched her up and down despite his parents' strong objection and ridicule.
Five years later in 2001, she was invited to compete at the 5th national special performing art competition for handicaps and won the gold medal. That success gave her the hope to return to her beloved stage.
In 2002, a handsome 20-year-old young man (Li, Tao) madly fell in love with her. She ran a way from him for fear of being hurt again.
After she disappeared in Beijing, Tao searched her up and down despite his parents' strong objection and ridicule.
He finally found her dancing in a bar. They have never been separated since.
They were very broke when SARS was spreading because all theaters were closed. In 2004, he got a license to be her legitimate agent and was trying to help her develop a unique performance. In a cold snowy night, when the two huddled in an underpass to wait for the sunrise in order to catch a bus after a long day at a movie shooting site working as extras, she suddenly had the urge to dance in the snow with him.
She had used her dance to tell him her story so many times before and this time, after their "dance" ended, he suddenly realized that THIS should be her unique performance.
In September 2005, she ran into a 21-year-old young man (Zhai, Xiaowei). He was being trained to be a cyclist for the national special olympics. He had never danced before.
He climbed on a tractor when he was 4 years old and fell off it and lost his left leg. His dad asked him, "The doctor will have to amputate your leg. Are you afraid?" He couldn't comprehend what would be so different so he said no. His dad said, "You are going to face many challenges and difficulties in life, are you afraid?"
He asked, "What are 'challenges and difficulties?' Do they taste good?" His dad laughed with tears, "Yes, they're like your favorite candies. You just need to eat them one piece at a time!" (Then his dad ran out of the room in tears.)
So he's always very optimistic and athletic with a great sense of humor. He had tried high-jump, long-jump, diving, swimming, and just settled on cycling.
His coach believed that he would be able to get 2-3 gold medals in the national special Olympics games. (In the video interview, you can see him doing a bridge with great ease!)
He initially didn't understand how he could "dance," so Li invited him to see her performing "Hand in Hand" with another male actor. He felt that he saw a perfect soul dancing on the stage and agreed to give it a try.
Li & Tao treated him like their younger brother and they stayed under the same roof during the more than 1 year of intensive training and practice. One would not be able to imagine the kind of challenges and difficulties they faced. He had NO dancing background and she is a perfectionist. There are so many touching stories.
Much determination has gone into the making of this performance. Just for that one "drop" move at 3:41 of the clip, he landed her on the hard floor more than 1000 times!!! To get the move right, they started at 8 a.m. and got the first successful move shortly after 8 pm!
All they did was to train and to practice from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. day-in and day-out until the three of them ran out of money in early 2007 ...
The rest is history. In April they were one of the finalists among 7000 competitors in the 4th CCTV national dance competition. It is the first time a handicapped couple ever entered the competition. They won the Silver medal with the 99.17 high score and not to mention the highest audience popular votes. They became an instant national hit.
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http://cctv.com
http://english.cctv.com
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Interview with Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei - PART 2/3by semjase7622,968 views
Xiaowei is so kind and so gentle. He and she give us inspiration and courage. I am moved by their courage and emotion. He said that she is his older sister and he feels hurt when he dropped her in practice. Their story will inspire us forever.
wikct2 1 year ago
I so wish I could interpret your interview however even your body language during it speaks with great admiration. I watch you performance every day -- it gives me such inspiration & removes all the confusion in my life - living with disability. I was a wheelchair user & now am able to be up & about using forearm crutches. I am working hard with a dance instructor & hope to be ready for a ballet solo soon. Thank you for your devoted work & wish you more great performances. Nightingale110
nightingale110 1 year ago
¡¡¡Por favor Traducción al ESPAÑOL!!!!
henrycaroSMI 2 years ago
Thank you for all the people that translated ...They won the competion...
solsonia2003 2 years ago
I feel very moved by this lovely story..I wish the interviews.. it was translated in english..What an inspiration to all of us..thank you Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei ..Blessings to you both...and I hope you are together to Love each other...
solsonia2003 2 years ago
Who won the first price for this competition? is the video posted? I wish to watch it. Thanks
YeKhim 2 years ago
His dad asked him, "The doctor will have to amputate your leg. Are you afraid?" He couldn't comprehend what would be so different so he said no. His dad said, "You are going to face many challenges and difficulties in life, are you afraid?"
He asked, "What are 'challenges and difficulties?' Do they taste good?" His dad laughed with tears, "Yes, they're like your favorite candies - you just need to eat them one piece at a time!"
invth 2 years ago
In September 2005, she ran into a 21-year-old young man (Zhai, Xiaowei). He was being trained to... Read more be a cyclist for the national special olympics. He had never danced before.He climbed on a tractor when he was 4 years old and fell off it and lost his left leg.
invth 2 years ago
The girl (Ma, Li) was a beautiful promising professional ballerina when she lost her right arm in a car accident in 1996. She was only 19. She tried to kill herself only to be saved by her parents. Her love for her parents gave her the strength to live.
invth 2 years ago
Thank you so much for inspiring us and for teaching us that strength, and talent go beyond our physical bodies; and for reminding us that beauty is inside of each one of us. You are both trully talented, the epitome of strength and two of the most beautiful people i have ever seen. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with the world.
latinxavier 3 years ago