Photograph by Branco Gaica
My last performance for Houston Ballet was The Nutcracker in 1991, dancing with Li.
Photograph by Jim Caldwell
Sophie’s journey has included endless hearing tests and speech therapy.
Li family collection
In 1993 Sophie underwent her first cochlear implant operation, in Houston.
Li family collection
We became a family of four when Tom was born in 1992. This Christmas portrait was taken on the verandah in Euclid Street.
Li family collection
Sophie and me in our backyard in Houston.
Photograph by Leticia London
Li dancing with Sophie, here aged six.
Li family collection
We moved to Australia in 1995, when Li accepted the position of principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Bridie was born in 1997, and Melbourne became our home for seventeen years.
Photograph by Simon Schluter / The Age
Deafness has never prevented Sophie from following her heart. At fifteen she was cheerleading at St John’s School, Houston.
Li family collection
The premiere of Mao’s Last Dancer in Melbourne, 2009, was such a special night for us all. We were all so proud of Li.
Li family collection
Teaching ballet has been a wonderful way to channel my passion following the end of my performing career, and is a way of giving back to the art form that’s brought me so much joy.
Photograph by Tamara Hanton, courtesy of Queensland Ballet
Living in the Sunshine State once again, I feel I have come full circle. Together Li and I have made Queensland Ballet our cultural home. Here we are after Li was made Officer of the Order of Australia in 2019.
Photograph by Mark Cranitch / Newspix
With my happy family in 2020: Bridie, me, Li, Sophie holding Nala, and Tom.
Li family collection
I will always have Sophie to thank for helping me write the story of my life.
Li family collection
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my daughter Sophie, for pushing me to write this book.
To Julie Watts, for being my guiding light.
To my sister-in-law Marlene McKendry, for tirelessly helping me throughout the editing process.
To Li for all his encouragement and shared memories.
To Rachel Scully and the wonderful team at Penguin Random House, especially my publisher Ali Watts, for believing in my story.
And finally, to my parents Coralie and Neil George, for instilling the sacred family values in me.
About the Author
Mary Li (formerly Mary McKendry) was raised in Rockhampton, Queensland, the third of eight children. There she was first introduced to ballet by her teacher Valeria Hansen. At sixteen she was accepted into the Royal Ballet School, London. She joined the London Festival Ballet (English National Ballet) in 1977 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1981. In 1985, Mary joined Houston Ballet as a principal dancer. During her performing career, she danced principal roles in all the major classical ballets, including Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker, as well as leading roles in contemporary ballets, some created especially for her. She has worked with legendary teachers, choreographers, artistic directors and artists, including Rudolf Nureyev, Margot Fonteyn and Ben Stevenson. She married fellow principal dancer Li Cunxin in 1987, and they have danced together all over the world. Following their return to Australia in 1995 Mary worked with the Australian Ballet as a coach, while raising their children Sophie, Tom and Bridie. For the past ten years she has been ballet mistress at Queensland Ballet where her husband Li is artistic director. Together they have turned the company into one of worldwide recognition and acclaim.
VIKING
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Viking is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com.
First published by Viking, 2020.
Copyright © Mary Li, 2020.
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Every effort has been made to trace creators and copyright holders of the photographic material included in this book. The publisher welcomes hearing from anyone not correctly acknowledged.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, published, performed in public or communicated to the public in any form or by any means without prior written permission from Penguin Random House Australia Pty Ltd or its authorised licensees.
Cover photograph of Mary Li and Li Cunxin at Houston Ballet by Ellis Vener
ISBN 9780143789727
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Table of Contents
Cover
About the Book
Title Page
Contents
Dedication
Epigraph
Foreword by Li Cunxin
BEFORE Part One: Rockhampton (1958–75) Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Part Two: London (1975–85) Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Part Three: Houston (1985–91) Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
AFTER Part Four: Houston (1991–95) Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Part Five: Melbourne (1995–2012) Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Part Six: Brisbane (2012–18) Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Images
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Imprint
Read more at Penguin Books Australia