I saw a TV programme on CCTV 9, China's international channel broadcast in English.
The show featured 2 very accomplished dancers, energetic yet graceful
at the same time, dancing sort of a mixture of ballet and modern dance
with some very challenging acrobatic movements, perfectly in tune with
the music. A long and non stop sequence that lasted a good 2o minutes.
The most outstanding, and astonishing feature was that
the male dancer had only one leg, the whole leg including the thigh,
and the female dancer had only one arm, cut short just below the curve
of the shoulder. It's impossible to describe how they could have danced
the way they did.
He carried a tastefully decorated stick,
which he uses as his missing leg but making it move in such a way
forming well balanced geometrical lines with his body, changing his left
or right hand to hold it as needed for balance and support the weight
of the girl, lifting her up onto his shoulder, swung her around with her
body curled round his, and she did rapid pirouettes on his one
stretched out arm, or doing ballet movements on his shoulder on tiptoe,
all the time making all these look so effortlessly graceful, with the
choreography permitting absolutely no concessions to their disability.
In fact disability is totally the wrong word. Nor is the word incapacitated. They
were completely natural and normal like the most celebrated and
legendary dancers. I kept shedding tears throughout the performance, not
quite know why, but I saw some people in the audience did too, in the
live show staged. The long standing ovation and thunderous applause were
truly touching. Without uttering one word, they silently showed the
world that there's nothing a human being can't accomplish given enough
determination, dedication and lots of hard work.
I had posted here a few days ago the video of this incredible performance, titled 'Hand in Hand'.
Tags: UniqueDancers,Armless,Legless
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