Publishing time: 2011-12-04 04:06 Source: www.cnhubei.com, E-newspaper

　　Figure 1: Harmonic duo of disabled artists

　　Figure 2: Audition at China's Got Talent

　　Chutian Metropolis Daily, journalists Yang Lei and Wu Zhi, correspondent Su Houping, interns Wang Hang and Li Na, photographer Xiao Hao

　　"Beng Da Da, Beng Da Da..." with the beats, they hold heads high, stretch their arms, move freely around the stage.

　　Graceful dance, rolling wheelchair, harmonic duo of disabled and non-disabled performers, their dancing proves that, even loss of legs, they can dance Waltz in most beautiful style, and move elegantly like a dancing swan in the wheelchair.

　　At the 8th The National Fitness & Standard Ballroom Dance Championship concluded in Shenzhen on November 20, the program of "Waltz in Wheelchair" performed by the artists of Wuhan Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe won the highest title-the only Special Award; after contest with over 1500 dancers from 17 provinces and cities of China, the "Waltz in Wheelchair" team comprising 8 disabled artists and 8 healthy partners performed amazingly, by which many audiences and judges were moved to tears.

　　It's the 20th International Day of Disabled Persons yesterday, 4 core performers of "Waltz in Wheelchair" team performed at audition stage of China's Got Talent with stunning dancing.

　　Shenzhen, the moment of lasting applause and happy tears

　　"It's the first time for them to contest in Shenzhen, before that they performed for the folks; I'm not surprised that their performance was awarded."

　　Said Luo Hong, deputy head of Wuhan Disabled People's Performing Art, in July 2009, wheelchair dancers were invited online for public audition, within 2 years, "Waltz in Wheelchair" members worked too hard along the way from rookies to the winners of national contest.

　　All group performers of the contest were competitive, ranging from 4.5-year-old children to elderly group with average age exceeding 70 years old. Finally, "Waltz in Wheelchair" stood the highest on award podium, not for sympathy, but strength.

　　Luo Hong introduced that, when our members rehearsed after arrival to Shenzhen, some people were skeptic of making show, a kind of dance style of healthy persons seating in wheelchair, because they couldn't believe dancing of disabled people; after their witness of the rehearsal in the backstage, they believed it.

　　During official performance, 8 pairs of disabled and healthy partners danced in perfect harmony, each of their move was orderly and flowing with the music of Conquest of Paradise.

　　Zhu Chuntang, a reporter of Hubei Sports (Recreation) Channel for the live broadcast, told that 8 disabled performers of "Waltz in Wheelchair" team elegantly completed stunts in sports dance, including 4×90° spins and 3 fixed whirls, near 4000 audiences were conquered by their astonishing performance. Thunderous applause sounded after each music pause. After their dancing, many audiences and several judges were moved to tears.

　　Never Give Up, Possess the Power for "Conquest of Paradise"

　　As one of the first members joining in "Waltz in Wheelchair" team, Zhong Qiang is 52 years old, but he is too pretty to be thought as an old guy, even nobody will double about his real age when he is told in thirty years.

　　When he was young, Zhong Qiang was a wheelchair race and marathon player, contested abroad for many time, and won many medals in various sizes; he is international wheelchair marathon champions for tow time during 12 years of sports career.

　　After retirement in 2000, he studies vocal music in Wuhan Conservatory of Music, and became a singer of Wuhan Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe; 9 years later, he became a dancer, and started to "conquer" Waltz; "sports is vigorous, dancing is soft; at the beginning of dance training, my arks were as stiff as steel bars, and not soft at all", he said, in order to learn basic movement framework in posture exercise, he figured out a knack, i.e. carry 2 bricks with the arms, and then repeatedly exercise the body posture; after training for bear one year, his movements were natural and flowing.

　　Xiong Namei, his dance teacher and partner introduced that, during intensified dance training, the rehearse 3-4 times per week; Zhong Qiang got up after 5:00 a.m. every day, to prepare breakfast and lunch for his father of more than 90 years old and his seriously handicapped wife, then walked to Hankou with the help of walking stick; it's impossible for disabled people to show legs movement in waltz dance, they generally express by upper limbs, and exercise stretching upper limbs, stretching arms and keep the posture for 20min, which he said was exhaustible, but he never gives up; "fixed whirling in wheelchair needs more power of waist, to challenge myself, I started with 1 whirls, and now I can move 3 whirls".

　　3 days before the contest in Shenzhen, an accident happened in rehearsal.

　　When Zhong Qiang was exercising fixed whirl, unexpectedly, one wheel flew off at the second whirl, he was thrown heavily on the floor.

　　"I was scared. I couldn't imagine dancing was more difficult than sports, for I felt good racing for 50km in the wheelchair before." Though his heart still fluttered, he forgot the pain after changing a new wheel for exercise.

　　"Dancing was my dream as a child, I'd not feel tiredness and difficulty if I could make it come true," Chai Baozhen in her 49th year said; she was disabled with the disease of polio, but she had never used a wheelchair; when performing Waltz, she was not used to sit in the wheelchair, and couldn't hold her waist upright once her hands move forcefully, and unable to maintain "stalk" effect; to deal with, she sits up at home in front of the mirror, to exercise stiffening of waist again and again, so as to "lift up" herself; she changes soft cushion of her wheelchair with rigid wood board, which is uncomfortable, but helpful to dancing movement.

　　Chai Baozhen said with smile that, when her daughter knew her mom will perform at China's Got Talent stage, she exclaimed that "mom is awesome, mom is a super star". At that moment, Chai Baozhen felt she was the best.

　　Healthy dancing partners: they conquered us

　　In the multifunctional hall in the 7th floor of Wuhan Disabled Persons Employment Service Center, the melody of Conquest of Paradise resounds, 51 year-old Xiong Namei and her dancing partner of Zhong Qiang in wheelchair dance with the music, occasionally, she pauses to given direction on choreography of the next body movement.

　　Xiong Namei is the director of Ballroom Dance Committee of Dance Sports Association, one of the cofounders of "Waltz in Wheelchair" performing team of Wuhan Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, and the choreographer; for two and a half years of exercise, communication and dancing with them, she said, "they conquered the difficulties, and conquered us".

　　She recalled that, during dancing exercise, some trainees refrain from drinking as possible, for fear of impacting the exercise due to going to the bathroom; "each of them was fully immersed in the training, you can feel the power in their heart, that is to do their best, and even dancing better than healthy persons". "Dancing is changing them. Look, they're very pretty in the wheelchair; without the wheelchair, they're not disabled. Dancing brings them with additional temperament".

　　Xiong Namei was moved not only by the toughness of disabled dancing partners; "during the rest time of dance training, a disabled dancer will give me a cup of drinking water, when coming up to me with the help of walking stick, half of the water was spilt, and he/she will say, 'thank you, teacher Xiong'," she was tearful and sobbed, "they're really very good guys, with them, you can feel their true love of life, and their sincerity to others".

　　53-year-old Shan Fuji, a dancing partner of disabled team member, is also a senior dance trainer, He said, "When performing Waltz with them, you feel a process of pleasure, which is great, moving and terrific".

　　He said that, he rarely contacted with them before, and knew nothing about them; during Waltz dancing with them, "we became bona fide friends; after frequent contact with them, I realized that they're not as I previously imagined, their love of life was much more feverish; they play computer games, sing, dance, and have many other hobbies, more importantly, they're thankful, and grateful to each trivial help".

　　Liking to dance with them, Shan Fuji said, "I was delighted from that".

　　[Reporter's Notes]

　　Dreamer chaser advances

　　Yesterday afternoon, "Waltz in Wheelchair" team arrived at audition venue of China's Got Talent in optical valley; when the music was played, near one hundred audiences were intoxicated with the dancers' elegant movement; although the team was declared with waiting for final result, the team members were not nervous; "the stage is bit of small, I wish they do a better job the next time"; "from their dancing, I feel passion and love of life, it's regretful the performance is too short, I really want to appreciate their full performance", Yang Zhao, a freshman from Wuhan Institute of Technology told the reporter, it's beyond my imagination for such charming cooperation of disabled and healthy dancers.

　　It's reported that, there're 438000 disable persons in Wuhan, representing 4.86% population of the city; on the 20th "International Day of Disabled Persons", Wuhan Disabled Persons Federation commended 41 excellent disabled persons, including excellent contestant of 4th Wuhan Disabled Persons Vocational Skills Contest, top-10 Enterprising Star, top-10 Blind Massage Alliance Shop Owner, and representatives of Sunshine Home; all of them achieve as much as healthy persons in all walks of life.

　　It's told that, 3012 disabled persons/times received vocational skills training in this year; 1327 disabled persons/times were employed; 1100 poverty-stricken households of rural disabled persons were supported to develop planting and breeding production.

　　It's unimaginable for healthy persons that those who are disabled to walk can perform Waltz dance, but disabled people in Wuhan can do it. Amidst the music of Conquest of Paradise, disabled persons in the wheelchair and standing healthy partners dance gracefully, express their meeting in the life, and show their empathy of soul, their hand-in-hand progress in life, and their desire and pursuit of beautiful life.

　　Rise to the challenge, acclaim for the life, "Waltz in Wheelchair" team members said that they'll worker harder, to go global, walk on Star Boulevard, and perform at the stage of Chinese Spring Festival Gala, to show the world their confidence and self-improvement as Wuhan disabled people.

　　http://news.cnhubei.com/ctdsb/ctdsbsgk/ctdsb03/201112/t1911295.shtml