Mao's Last Dancer Page #3

- Yes, Ben. I go bed now.

Nice night.

Goodnight.

Huh?

GOOD... night.

Oh, yes Uh... good... night.

Very good.

Fantastic.

Alright, yeah, just a litte more

over the shoulder next time.

I want to take it from the lift.

- Just a ttle more sustained.

- Sure.

OK? Because I thlnk

you have time musically.

- Oh, yeah.

- Alright.

So, seven, two, three,

eight, two, three...

And up with the accent,

and hold a little longer.

- Argh!

- Bobby!

What have you done?

What's happened?

Oh, God.

Argh, sorry.

- Oh, Christ.

They'll bring you some ice.

What about one of

the principals or soloists?

Well, they're all away

on vacation.

David Trembath's

at Galveston.

Wel he can make it

here in time, surely.

- Li's better than he is.

- It's tonight, Ben.

And Li's just a student here.

The union wont allow it.

Ben, this is the biggest night

on the arts calendar.

How's he supposed to learn

'Don Quixote' in three hours?

He already knows the solo.

All he has to learn

is the pas de deux.

Everybody who is anyone

is gonna be here tonight,

including the Vice President.

Yes I know, but Li told me

he once danced forthe great

Madame Mao - we're alright.

But he's Chinese.

What I mean is...

I mean, he can't play

a Spaniard, can he?

Well, unless I'm mistaken, Betty Lou,

I distinctly remember

Marlon Brando playing

a Japanese villager.

Oh, I loved that movie!

Ben, what if he's not up to it?

He's up to it, Cynthia.

And keep the Spanish feel,

keep that attitude.

When you come out of

the la seconde,

just do it with as many

pirouettes as you can.

And be sure to finish

on the music.

That's...

It's not too late, Li.

I mean, we can cancel.

Um, no.

- Um, I can do this, Ben.

- No, you can do it.

I know you can do it. Go from

the top of the pas de deux?

- The beginning?

- Yes. From the beginning.

OK.

And... tomb, pas de bourre,

glissade, lift, pirouette.

Tomb, arabesque, soutenu,

get close to her,

ready for the one-arm lift.

OK.

OK.

When the show starts, if you can't

see there, you can...

Oh, thanks.

I hate the opera.

But they have

the ballet too.

I just hope

it all works out.

Ladies and

gentlemen, take your seats.

Tonight's performance of

'Die Fledermaus'

will commence in two minutes.

Vice President Bush

and his wife, Barbara,

are attending the opening of

Houston Opera's

summer season

'Die Fledermaus',

by Johann Strauss.

Stars of the Houston Ballet

are also...

Oh, hi.

Hello.

You better be right,

Ben Stevenson.

Consul Zhang,

so glad you could make it.

Lori, um... woman dancer

called, um... 'ballerina'.

What you call man?

'Danseur noble'.

Not nice, not like 'ballerina'.

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