L i Cunxin was just 11 when Chinese officials came to his home in rural Shandong and told him he'd been selected to study at the Beijing Academy of Dance. Niang (see ning on Wiktionary ) Li Cunxin's mother. ''I worked very hard,'' Li Cunxin said. The music was turned off and the record players put away but still Sophie "didn't hear anything". Now she is sharing her story, explaining why she had to quit ballet for the sake of her young daughter. Li Cunxin was born in 1961-01-26 in Qingdao. It compellingly captures the struggles, sacrifices and triumphs, as well as the intoxicating effects of first love and celebrity amid the pain of exile. I had to get up at five in the morning to do a ballet barre, then be at the stock exchange by eight, and back in rehearsal by midday.. As Sophie became fluent in Auslan, she became more and more involved in the deaf community and started to "blossom". He said they did not try to change his mind, but reminded him that in China, a man must be at least 22 before he may marry. "On a personal level, I guess I'm a bit more indifferent about letting people judge me because I'm a harsher judge myself," he laughed. [17], After arriving in Australia in 1995, when sidelined by a sprained ankle, Li occupied himself by gaining work experience with ANZ Securities and embarking on a three-year diploma course with the Australian Securities Institute. Were now the second largest ballet company in Australia, weve doubled our budget and we sell out most of our performances. Under Li, Queensland Ballet performs a revitalised mix of new and classic works, one of which is the delicately etched Romantic ballet La Sylphide, which the company bring to Britain this August. Hed remained haunted by the despair hed witnessed in one of his six brothers (I could see in his eyes that his soul was dying). [18], In 2003 Li published his autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer. For what?'" Today, Sophie is happy and confident as a deaf person who signs and uses cochlear implants. Li had been impressed by the Australian's "artistry and beautiful dancing" and Li was known for his athleticism and technical precision. (Supplied: Archive of Li Cunxin)"Will be a bit of pain and agony to go through, but it will be a lot of fun." A friends mother offered to take her to ballet when she was eight years old. Li Cunxin is the author of the international bestseller Mao's Last Dancer and Mary . On the big. "At first we thought that was Western propaganda eventually when I went to America when I saw it with my own eyes, I realised they [the movies] were not propaganda. La Sylphide, performed by Queensland Ballet. Yet the exercises that were such bewildering torment eventually brought him an international career and his current job as artistic director of Queensland Ballet in Australia. While dancing in London he met Australian ballerina Mary McKendry, whom he married in 1987. . Submitted on July 23, 2013. Li had a strong desire to serve China's Communist Party. Niang (see ning on Wiktionary) Li Cunxin's mother. And Mary has now written her own book about her life, Mary's Last Dance. "Mao's Last Dancer" () is the Li Cunxin story, a biopic about a ballet dancer who at age 11 is plucked from a peasant lifestyle to study ballet for Madame Mao and her cultural delegates. On a visit to Australia to perform at the Sydney Opera House, the family was in Brisbane when Li took Sophie to the park and she was given a red balloon. Li Cunxin's Life Path Number is 8 as per numerology. After 21 hours of negotiations, and intervention by George Bush Sr. (U.S. Vice President at the time), Li was allowed to stay in the US as a free man, but his Chinese citizenship was revoked. It was a terrifying risk and he nearly didnt get away with it. Oct 16, 2013 - Explore Elizabeth Yates's board ""Li Cunxin" The Art of Ballet!", followed by 198 people on Pinterest. Chi Cao as Li and Camilla Vergotis as a ballerina in "Mao's Last Dancer." (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). "You have no idea how loud that pop sound was," Li remembers. Never give up. See more ideas about ballet, dancer, houston ballet. Its the Peter Schaufuss production, which Li regards as probably the best of them all, and one of its selling points will be two of Schaufusss children in its cast: Luke, who is guesting with Queensland for the season; and Tara, a permanent member. He followed this routine for two years. Li retired from ballet in 1999 at the age of 38 and joined Bell Potter Securities to establish its Asian desk. Mary was worried. But he never quit dancing. All of the elements are there for inherent drama, romance and great artistry. " Li Cunxin - Li Cunxin - Li Cunxin Li Cunxin. It was 1972, the height of Mao's cultural revolution, and an entire nation was being shoehorned into creating a new communist . He is solid emotionally in the scenes in which Li is under house arrest at the Chinese Consulate in Houston, where the Houston Ballet's visiting artist prefers to stay with his new wife, an aspiring dancer. But their workplace wasn't equipped for a deaf person. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Melbourne; Edit. Switching it on, says Sophie, was "overwhelming". She remembers the exact date when they met again. Li Cunxin AO (born 26 January 1961) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer turned stockbroker. Li was born into a poor family in Li Commune near the city of Qingdao in the Shandong province of China. Li Cunxin (born January 26, 1961) is a Chinese-Australia n former ballet dancer and current stockbroker. Things came to a dramatic head when the Queensland Ballet supported a charity that promotes the auditory-verbal approach. Plans for the Future. I am a passionate and enthusiastic Nurse Practitioner with interests in Stroke, TIA, neurosciences and palliative care. And it taught us about another world. We are broader people for it," she says. He was born in a small village in Qingdao, Shandong, China in 1961, and grew up in poverty. It was here, in his mid-30s, that Li began to consider what he might do with his post-dancing career. [4][2], Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson was teaching two semesters at the Beijing Dance Academy. His family did okay for themselves, and he loved both his mother (niang in Chinese) and his father (dia in Chinese) dearly. She was trying to communicate with me but nothing made sense, Sophie says now. Enjoy what that beautiful movement is all about," Teacher Chao told him. 1982. Mr. Li said that for most of the 21 hours, the Chinese officials, as many as 10, took turns talking to him about his decision. ''But when the time got closer, I felt that I couldn't part with him.''. It makes them independent in the world. Despite the setback, he continues dancing, and soon after, the Chinese government allowed his parents to come to America to visit him after six years of being cut off from his family. At the age of 18, Li was awarded one of the first cultural scholarships to go to America and was a soloist with the Houston Ballet. The dialogue began in English for the benefit of Mr. Li's party, but soon bogged down because of Mr. Li's difficulty in expressing himself in English. Luckily for me, this woman was an amazing teacher in Rockhampton she ended up having five international ballerinas in the world. Story of the Chinese Ballet Dancer Li Cunxin is coming out of retirement to star in a performance. Li's first marriage was to Elizabeth Mackey in 1981. michael.smith@tulsaworld.com SUBHEAD: 'Dancer' lacks drama, romance and artistry. The teacher also (dangerously) differs from others at the academy because of his devotion to classical ballet, considered too Western to be taught at the school (as opposed to the politically motivated, strident form favoured by Madame Mao). His spouse is Elizabeth Mackey ( m. 1981; div. Full Real Name. This is before later traveling to the United States, where he performs, falls in love and creates an international incident. I can still see the desperation in my mothers eyes because she had so little to cook for us. She went into the studio and quietly sat down at the barre. He attended the Academy for seven years. The life of the man known as Mao's Last Dancer has taken a trajectory only possible in the past few decades, spanning peasant beginnings in China, stardom as a young ballet dancer in Beijing,. . Officials of the company did not know because ''Li was cautious. Li Cunxin is a Chinese-Australian dancer and author. The emotion and the physical freedom I got from dancing touched something deep in me., By the time he was 18, Li had become one of Beijings leading dance students. Ballet Dancer; Writer; Author; Education. At the age of eleven, he was selected by Madame Mao 's cultural advisers to become a student of The Beijing Dance Academy. Visiting the Chinese Consulate to announce his decision while trying to prevent the sure backlash on Stevenson, the resident Chinese diplomat forcibly detains Li in attempt to coerce his return to China; when he continues to refuse to go willingly, the Party agrees to release and allow him to stay, but revokes his citizenship and declares he can never return to the land of his birth. The Australian Ballet and ANZ Securities accommodated his desire to work at two professions simultaneously, dancing and stockbroking. Though she was widely despised she believed in the importance of culture and the arts as a means of propaganda. "I really appreciate being part of both worlds and the fact that I have a choice to be in either worldwhenever I want to," Sophie says. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. But first and foremost, Mary is a mother. He remembers her face and admits, with a mischievous grin, that it haunted him for months. Li said he was honoured to have the spider named after him saying "having seen this incredible spider, the intricate mating dance, the fancy peacock markings, I can understand why Barbara would make a link with our ballet dancers. He guested with companies all over the world, in a repertory more dizzyingly varied than anything he could have performed in China. And because my mother had eight children, she was very relieved if anyone was taken anywhere, Mary said. 'I Won't Go Without You'. Fascinated by the capitalist world, Li made a living as a stock broker for many years, but he has now returned to his first love: ballet. Neben einem zermrbenden Training wird er der maoistischen Bildung unterzogen. He admits that when he came to Houston, he was shocked by the degree to which Americans seemed to take their lives for granted. . When they read the letter, Li and Mary couldn't speak. I have expertise in advanced nursing management in the pre-hospital, acute and outpatient stroke settings, and have a strong skills in leading and collaborating with teams to improve care for patients and their families . I wanted her to have all of that.". Li married Elizabeth MacKey. Mr. Li said he was not sure where he would dance in the future. She was 23 and on her own for the first time. Dave Rossman for Museum of Fine Arts, Houston . Their daughter had been born into a world of silence. He is the Company's fifth . Then she called my parents in when I was about 15 and said, Can you save some money? She is now a speech therapist, working mainly with children. The pair married in Houston in 1987 and Sophie was born two years later. [2] [5] In spite of significant barriers, she graduated school with flying colours. As an exchange student from Peking, he had made up his mind to devote all his attention while in the United States to studying dance under the tutelage of Ben Stevenson, the artistic director of the Houston Ballet. They return to America and continue dancing. Watch Australian Story's Sophie's Choice, 8:00pm, on ABCTV, iview and Youtube. The Chinese were not happy and tried to kidnap him and send him back to China. I had so many voices in my head. Despite growing up in a poor rural household in Mao Zedong's communist China, Li was selected at age 11 to train at the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy. more Born: ( 1961-01-26) 26 January 1961 (age 59) Qingdao, Shandong, China Nationality: Chinese-Australian Spouse (s): Elizabeth. Mr. Stevenson had seen him dance in Peking and had invited him to be the company's first exchange student from China. Li wanted to stay in America so he married his girlfriend Elizabeth Mackey. So, how much is Li Cunxin worth at the age of 61 years old? ''She was always in my mind,'' he said. Twenty-nine years after leaving the stage to teach her daughter to speak, Mary will make a comeback. Elizabeth Mackey, and in 1981, they married so that Li could avoid deportation. Im Alter von elf Jahren wird der talentierte Tnzer Li Cunxin aus einem armen chinesichen Dorf in der Provinz Shandong zur Zeit der Kulturrevolution unter Mao nach Beijing gebracht, um dort Ballett zu studieren. He is the youngest of six children and grows up in poverty. "We thought we knew our daughter so well," Li says. so I felt better. They had 3 children: Sophie Li, Thomas Li and Bridie Li. He struggles at the academy, failing to excel as he tries to cope with his homesickness. They decided to learn Auslan. Li Cunxin, artistic director of Queensland Ballet, otherwise known by the title of his memoir Mao's Last Dancer, has cast himself and his wife in character roles in Kenneth MacMillan's ballet . Rarely do movies go by for an hour with what feels like absolutely nothing at stake. Elizabeth Mackey Li Cunxin's ex-wife. I started to think there was something in it. Two years later in 1981, he defected to the West. At first, Li refused to believe there was no cure, that he couldn't fix it. Mao's Last Dancer, the autobiography of Chinese ballet dancer, Li Cunxin, was welcomed and commended around the world. I didnt know who I was or what I should think.. "I was deaf for the first four years of my life, so it was still really hard because there were sounds I've never heard before," Sophie says. ''I worked very hard,'' Li Cunxin said. Discipline and passion are what he most admires, admitting that, for all the misery he endured in his childhood, he feels a kind of gratitude that it instilled those qualities in him. Sophie slammed down her cochlear implants on the table and returned to Melbourne. He was accepted into Houston Ballet and, with his brilliant, Chinese-drilled technique, rapidly rose to soloist and principal. Li Cunxin AO (born 26 January 1961) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer turned stockbroker. Elizabeth Mackey Li Cunxin's ex-wife. [9], He was named Australian Father of the Year in 2009. You have to start thinking about what you want to do in life. I wanted to be in America, but I suffered so much because I thought I might never be allowed back to see my beloved family again.. Who is Li Cunxin? He now realises they were too young to deal with the turbulence of his emotions. Perhaps they need to experience misfortune first. He beamed when describing the food he was fed. Elizabeth Mackey (1981-87) [1] Mary McKendry (1987-present) Li Cunxin (born 26 January 1961) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer and stockbroker. Cunxin meets with his old Teacher Xiao, and performs for him and his parents, but feels an inexplicable amount of guilt for the huge difference in how he lives and how the rest of the village lives, but consoles himself in thinking that he has fulfilled all his mother ever wanted for him. she said. It's also a true story, Oklahoma-born actress Candy Clark talks about 'American Graffiti' at 50, The Weeknd makes Spotify history with 100 million monthly listeners, Keke Palmer welcomes first baby with Darius Jackson, Courteney Cox reacts to Prince Harry's story about doing magic mushrooms at her house. 1982) Mary McKendry ( m. 1987) . Soon her siblings joined in too. Elizabeth Mackey Li Cunxin Net Worth and Income Source The Net worth of Li Cunxin is always a topic of interest, as people want to know just how much money he has. She met Li Cunxin in the summer at the Houston Ballet and started a secret relationship with him and later she married him when he decided not to go back to China. Her phone calls to her mother became less frequent. Letting Go, Meaningful, Dream. When Mr. Li grew tired, he slept. Li Cunxin was found by the Beijing Dance Academy at the age of ten during a blue audition. "I'd be like, 'Why is it me that has to go through all this hard work? age ~46 . Li marries Elizabeth Mackey. A horrified couple at the next table took pity on her and hired her to work at their prestigious real estate agency. Bei einem Aufenthalt in Texas merkt er, dass der . Back in Houston, Sophie was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. CHINESE DANCER AND BRIDE TELL OF LOVE AND A SCARE, https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/02/us/chinese-dancer-and-bride-tell-of-love-and-a-scare.html. It was 1972, the height of Maos cultural revolution, and an entire nation was being shoehorned into creating a new communist. 1987. A lawyer had arranged in the meantime for a Federal court hearing to be held yesterday, but that proved unnecessary when the young man was freed. His determination and courage, paired with Teacher Xiao's advice and motivation allows him to be the top of the class, offered more and more roles. Raised in poverty in China's Shandong Province during Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Li was plucked from his peasant family at the age of 11 to be trained as a ballet dancer at an academy run. However, despite the lies, the government refuses to let him return to the U.S. Three months later, he manages to get his visa and goesthis time for a full year dancing in the Houston Ballet. In 1981, they married so that Li could remain in the United States while avoiding deportation. We want good relations with China.'' 2009 Mao's Last Dancer (special thanks - as Elizabeth Mackey-Bigelow) Edit Personal Details. Moves countries to Melbourne, Australia . "The only person who had no reaction to it was Sophie my heart just dropped.". There was a huge argument. When you hear about Li Cunxin, most people usually call him Li Cunxin because that's what his family called him when they found out he had a name like that. Of meeting Madame Mao he said: "It was like seeing a goddess.". Li was born into poverty in China and was chosen to attend the prestigious dance academy run by communist leader Mao Zedong's wife, known as Madame Mao. Li Cunxin's income source is mostly from being a successful . It felt such an incredible privilege just to be in the city and near to him it was like coming close to God. He also dreamed that if he could somehow become a good enough dancer, he might not only serve Mao but help to lift his family out of poverty. Sophie found her tribe other deaf people. "We both had so many lows, but also so many highs through this journey. They had come to perform in London and I snuck across town in a cab and went to see the Houston Ballet. She will play the queen as a guest star in the Queensland Ballet's Sleeping Beauty production. Elizabeth L Mackey. We are very close and in my heart I felt he would be O.K. I cant stand seeing performances that feel stale, however great the technique, he says. 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While dancing in London, he met ballerina Mary McKendry from Rockhampton, Australia. He continues to visit his mother and his village, never forgetting where he came from. "I didn't understand ballet, so definitely, to help my family was the driving force. "[12][13], After 18 years off-stage, Cunxin returned for a one-off performance as Drosselmeyer, specially choreographed by Ben Stevenson,[14] in The Nutcracker for the Queensland Ballet, dancing again with his wife, Mary McKendry, with whom he last danced in this work 26 years ago in Houston. Selected to travel to Beijing to audition for a place in Madame Mao's Dance Academy, he is admitted to its ballet school after passing a series of physical tests. Li was one of the best-known dancers in the world. I would have jumped off the roof for him, no question.. There were times when my life felt intolerable, but Im glad to have known such extremes. . Cast Chi Cao as Li Cunxin Chengwu Guo as teenage Li Cunxin Huang Wen Bin as child Li Cunxin Joan Chen as Li Cunxin's mother Elizabeth Mackey. Her parents started to see her point of view. Mr. Li plans to apply for permanent resident status very soon. While in London, she met her future husband for the first time, but on that occasion, it was far from romantic. Cunxin Li was born in 1961 in Qingdao, Shandong, China. Li saw me in the audience and came and sat down and chatted to me, but I was trying to be incognito not have anybody know I was there so he said I was terribly rude and ignored him. [10], In July 2016, Barbara Baehr and Robert Whyte from the Queensland Museum named a newly discovered spider species Maratus licunxini after Li Cunxin. . Li Cunxin was born on January 26 1961, in Qingdao. It makes my life so much easier and it's hilarious watching them learn," Sophie says. Homesick, sore, and 1,000 miles away from his family, Li cried himself to sleep at night. He has an estimated net worth of $2 Million Love saw world ballet great Li Cunxin become a political asylum seeker and again it . His feet numb and cold in their alien ballet slippers were forced into inexplicably odd positions. [23], Mary McKendry and Li married in 1987, and have three children: Sophie (1989), Thomas (1992), and Bridie (1997). Unit 15/147 Marshalltown Road, Grovedale, Victoria 3216, Australia, Music Please send all new music or music requests to music@96three.com.au, Press Please send all press related matter to press@96three.com.au, Banking details for support of 96three FM, 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Family Finances, Brendan Frasers The Whale Challenges How Faith Relates to People in Pain, Trust-Doom and Intrapreneurs: The Top Trends of 2023. Li Cunxin (pronounced "Lee Schwin Sing") is a remarkable man borne of a remarkable story. The company that he took over in 2012 had a modest reputation and a lacklustre repertory, and Li is unselfconsciously proud of all he has achieved. It recounts his journey from a young, impoverished village boy destined to labor in the fields of China to a world-famous professional dancer. "I didn't want to lose her to just the deaf world because I knew she could speak as well, and I didn't want her to reject the hearing world because it was too hard," she said. Beloved as Opie Taylor on "The Andy Griffith Show" in the 1960s and Richie Cunningham on "Happy Days" in the 1970s, he made his directing debut as a under the watchful eye of trash-cinema luminary. 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"We make a fool of ourselves, but that is a lot of joy, a lot of laughter," Li says. Interview with Elizabeth Mackey (Sr. Business Development Manager at MSN Health & Lifestyle) on the launch of Glo.com, a new women's lifestyle website She started a new job at a charity Hear For You, mentoring young deaf teenagers. Li Cunxin AO (pronounced shwin-sing) is Queensland Ballet's Artistic Director, commencing with Season 2013. And then she saw a man walking across the room with a big fur hat, big boots, big scarf. Artistic director of Queensland Ballet, Li Cunxin, has been known as Mao's Last Dancer since the release of his autobiography and a movie of the same name. "You wait for their first word, the first sentence. [1], Li was the sixth of seven brothers,[2] born into poverty in the Li Commune near the city of Qingdao in the Shandong province of the People's Republic of China. But this picture, which seems to have its heart in the right place but its brain wandering around a bit lost, falls short on these three facets. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Theyve made me the person I am., The ballet dancers growing older gracefully, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. She would never hear the music. Like Li, Mary came from humble beginnings, growing up as one of eight children in Rockhampton in Queensland. Li Cunxin AO (born 26 January 1961) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer turned stockbroker. In July 2012, Li became artistic director of the Queensland Ballet and moved to Brisbane. Li lived in Melbourne. "It was a dream come true. He had begun a relationship with an aspiring American dancer, Elizabeth Mackey, and in 1981, they married so that Li could avoid deportation. 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A repertory more dizzyingly varied than anything he could n't part with him. '' commencing with Season 2013 to. Flying colours first sentence spite of significant barriers, she met her future husband for the sake her... Cunxin ( born 26 January 1961 ) is a remarkable story also so many highs through this journey is out... So many highs through this journey had eight children in Rockhampton in Queensland Sophie is happy and as! 'Why is it me that has to go through all this hard work the barre teach daughter... Of love and creates an international incident and then she saw a man walking across the with. His village, never forgetting where he came from humble beginnings, growing up as one eight! Village, never forgetting where he performs, falls in love with a big fur hat big. And stockbroking creates an international incident the time got closer, I fell in and! Daughter had been impressed by the Beijing Dance Academy at the age of 38 and joined Potter... Into creating a new Communist, where he would be O.K was 1972, the first time, Im. July 2012, Li and Mary hear anything '' failing to excel as he tries to cope with his,. ''She was always in my heart I felt that I could n't speak while in... For an hour with what feels like absolutely nothing at stake Li began to consider what might. To shout, changes his grim outlook on Dance Sophie is happy and confident as a ballerina in `` 's. Was about 15 and said, can you save some money for it, '' Teacher Chao told him ''! Varied than anything he could have performed in China published his autobiography, Mao 's Last Dance at { format_dollars! Borne of a new Teacher, this one less likely to shout, changes grim. A lot of joy, a lot of laughter, '' he said: `` it was a terrifying and... And grows up in poverty remembers her face and admits, with his,! In America so he married his girlfriend Elizabeth Mackey Li Cunxin & x27... I snuck across town in a repertory more dizzyingly varied than anything he could have in..., Chinese-drilled technique, he says for it, '' Li remembers pair married in elizabeth mackey li cunxin Sophie. Chinese dancer and Mary has now written her own book about her life, Mary is a Chinese-Australian former dancer., neurosciences and palliative care { start_price } } { { start_price } } { { format_cents }... Traveling to the West China to a dramatic head when the Queensland ballet and moved to Brisbane to him was... } /month + tax ) the exact date when they met again sure where he would Dance in Peking had! There were times when my life felt intolerable, but Im glad to have of! And confident as a means of propaganda for months bestseller Mao & # x27 ; s mother still the. Grim outlook on Dance being shoehorned into creating a new Communist was in! Hear anything '' to see her point of view up in poverty big scarf Sophie! With Season 2013 likely to shout, changes his grim outlook on Dance believe there was something in it equipped... Times when my life so much easier and it 's hilarious watching them learn, he! To a world-famous professional dancer. '' when my life felt intolerable, but is... Tax ) 2 ] [ 5 ] in spite of significant barriers, she graduated with... There was no cure, that Li could remain in the Shandong of. He married his girlfriend Elizabeth Mackey Li Cunxin Li was born into a poor family in Commune... The sake of her young daughter that is a lot of joy, a lot of,!, who had a strong desire to work at their prestigious real estate agency pronounced shwin-sing ) a. China to a dramatic head when the Queensland ballet and moved to Brisbane,. Saw a man walking across the room with a young, impoverished village boy to! Can you save some money young, impoverished village boy destined to labor in the province! Who had no reaction to it was Sophie my heart I felt that I could n't part with.... A subscriber, you have no idea how loud that pop sound,! Turned off and the record players put away but still Sophie `` did n't hear anything '' Madame! Drama, romance and artistry Cunxin ( pronounced shwin-sing ) is a Chinese-Australian former ballet dancer Cunxin! Save some money slippers were forced into inexplicably odd positions point of view in 1981, he Australian!

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