I laughed, I cried and I thoughrouly enjoyed myself watching Australian director Bruce Beresford’s new film, ‘Mao’s Last Dancer.’ Li Cunxin was plucked as a young boy from his family of farmers by Communist party officials and sent to Beijing to train as a classical ballet dancer at the Beijing Dance Academy. Then, he gets the opportunity of a lifetime when the head of Houston Ballet offers him a 3-month internship. He discovers freedom, love, celebrity and decides to defect – this was 1979. Lead Actor Chi Cao, a principal dancer at the Birmingham Royal Baller, is an amazing dancer (and a very good actor as well) and by the end of the film (and it’s a happy ending) tears were flowing.