Australia Dancing - Li, Cunxin (1961

Li, Cunxin (1961 - )

McMurdo, Don: Li Cunxin and Mary McKendry in pas de deux from 'Esmeralda', Australian Ballet Gala, 1990

Website | Research Materials | Other Resources

Born in the New Village, Li Commune, near the city of Qingdao on the north-east coast of China, Li Cunxin studied dance at the Beijing Dance Academy having been selected as a student by the cultural advisers of Madame Mao, wife of Chairman Mao. During his final year with the academy he was invited by Ben Stevenson, then artistic director of Houston Ballet, to study in Houston. Li left China and joined Houston Ballet in 1979. He was promoted to principal at Houston Ballet in 1982.

Li has guested with many dance companies including Northern Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh Ballet, Ballet de Santiago, Teatro La Scala and the Australian Ballet. After his several guest appearances with the Australian Ballet, which began in 1990, Li joined the company as principal in 1995 making his debut as Vronsky in Anna Karenina. Roles created on Li include those in Ben Stevenson's Romeo and Juliet and The Miraculous Mandarin, in Christopher Bruce's Gautama Buddha and Stephen Baynes' Beyond Bach.

Li's autobiography Mao's Last Dancer was published in 2003. The film of the same title, based on Li's autobiography and directed by Bruce Beresford, premiered in September 2009 and features Chengwu Guo (Australian Ballet artist) as the teenage Li and Chi Cao (principal dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet) as the adult Li. Cast members include Steven Heathcote, Camilla Vergotis, Madeleine Eastoe and dancers from the Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company.

Li currently works as a stockbroker in Melbourne.

Research Materials

Ephemera | Picture | Website | All

Other resources

Find more about Li, Cunxin in:

Collection - OzLife
Internet - Google
Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
Pictures - Picture Australia