Raised in a desperately poor village during the height of China's Cultural Revolution, Li Cunxin's childhood revolved around the commune, his family and Chairman Mao's Little Red Book.Until, that is, Madame Mao's cultural delegates came in search of young peasants to study ballet at the academy in Beijing and he was thrust into a completely unfamiliar world.When a trip to Texas as part of a rare cultural exchange opened his eyes to life and love beyond China's borders, he d...

One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime.But Li was only eleven years old and he was scared and lonely, pushed away from all that he had ever known and loved. He hated the strict training routines and the strange place he had been brought to. All he wanted to do was go home – to his mother, father and six brothers, to his own small village. But soon Li real...

One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime.But Li was only eleven years old and he was scared and lonely, pushed away from all that he had ever known and loved. He hated the strict training routines and the strange place he had been brought to. All he wanted to do was go home - to his mother, father and six brothers, to his own small village. But soon Li real...

In a poor village in northern China, a small boy is about to be taken away from everything he's ever known. He is so afraid, but his mother urges him to follow his dreams. For soon he will become a dancer, one of the finest dancers in the world... So begins The Peasant Prince, the true story of Li Cunxin's extraordinary life. Based upon his internationally bestselling memoir, Mao's Last Dancer, this remarkable picture book captures the essence of one of the most inspiring stories to come f...

This extraordinary play for young people is an adaptation of Li Cunxin's picture book The Peasant Prince - the true story of Mao's Last Dancer.Adapted by Monkey Baa, Australia's leading theatre company for young audiences, The Peasant Prince has toured nationally, performing to tens of thousands of young people and their families throughout rural and regional Australia.The production was awarded Most Outstanding Production for Children (the Glugs), Best Pr...