Save this Last Dance

It is always strange to see yourself on screen and this time was no different. Aside from always wanting a sip of the champagne they gave me whenever my character appeared, I think I can say a few balanced things about the film

From the start, the producer and director have treated the story with care and dignity. The opening credits are elegant and apt and lead us into the extraordinary world of Li Cunxin. And, wonder of wonders, they found someone in Chi Cao who could act like a dream and dance as well. It was always in our minds as it was being made that if the leading man failed in either of those roles, there was no film. Well, he didn't.

I know for a fact that Chi had to get up and start his work day at 4am to keep himself fit enough to dance as well as he had to. Considering his work day could end around 7 or 8pm, month after month, it was a marathon.

Added to this the insight of a master director in Bruce Beresford and the Camera skills of Peter James, Music by Chris Gordon and Graham Murphy's Choreography, it is a hymn to perseverance and achievement.The tricky politics are beautifully negotiated so that the stormy seas both China and America sailed during that time are treated with care.

I hope this sets off a tidal wave of interest in Ballet again. To watch these exquisite beings whirl around the sets had something of a dream about it and, hours after I had seen this film I was still in raptures about the blissful movements. The last dance is worth waiting for and it is the sum of all its parts.

To see the Trailer of 'Mao's Last Dancer', click here: