"Burning Dreams" "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 2,2,3,4,5,6,7,8" "3,2,3,4,5,6,7,8" "2000" "End of the Summer" "The search for a lead actress for a TV commercial led me to China." "I chanced upon a school in Shanghai, that specialized in Jazz and Tap Dancing." "The Dreams 52 Dance School" "In the classroom, we saw a petite old man." "The students addressed him as "Teacher Liang Yi"" "The school brochure refers to Liang Yi as a Famous dancer from Taiwan" "I told him we came from Taiwan." ""I came from Taiwan too!" He said." "1,2,kick kick,1,2,ta ta,1,2" ""But I came 20 years earlier!" Kick kick,1,2,3,4 1,2, ta ta,1,2, so so" "1,2,3,4-1,2,3" "Alright we would include the hand actions." "Kick, your left foot must kick like this" "You must have this at your back ta, 1,2, ta ta, 1,2, ta ta ok, come on, ready, 5,6,7,8" "1,2,kick, kick 1,2, ta, ta, 1,2,kick, kick 1,2, ah, ah" "According to statistical figures from the Gallup Organization," "There were 14.2 million people in Shanghai." "The floating population amounted to 5.65 million people." "After Tokyo, New York, Mexico," "Mumbai, Sao Paolo and Los Angeles," "it is ranked the seventh biggest city in the world." ""Who's Our Gang?"" "Back in 1960, the Taiwan newspaper conferred on me, Liang Yi," ""the King of A-Fei Dance."" "A-Fei Dance?" "The youths in China have never heard of Rock  Roll Dance before." "It is not coffee and rolls!" "A-Fei." "No." "It is A-Fei!" "We have never tried it before!" "I'll take a look this afternoon." "Fei, like flying!" "A-Fei!" "A-Fei, A-Fei Dance," "Is a very popular form of dance" "In the 1950s, when Elvis Presley started singing and making movies in Hollywood," "It was a music genre, they called it Rock  Roll" "Rock  Roll singing, Rock  Roll music," "Rock  Roll dance!" "When the trend came to Taiwan, the Taiwanese liked to exaggerate, and called it A-Fei Dance, because A-Fei means a cool guy." "Shanghai Dreams 52 Dance School brochure states that:" "Shanghai Dreams 52 Dance School was foundedin October 1999." "It is the only art school in China that teaches Jazz Dance, Tap Dance, and Hip-hop as main subjects." "It is an intense feeling." "It is also a release!" "After a hard day, or an exhausting day at studies... when you feel very tired, you can use Jazz dance as a way to release all that pent-up emotions!" "Because Jazz Dance is a very wild dance that a dancer can be executing many, many spins and he can suddenly stop!" "It is not just purely technical, you must show your honest emotion!" "Jazz Dance is different from other forms of dance because of the burst and explosion speed and it is fashionable." "It is something very new in China." "Besides, for me the Jazz dance... is closer to my heart." "When I dance," "I can truly express my feelings!" "3 spins!" "Ha!" "If you do less than 3 spins." "You take off your pants!" "I did three, take your pants off!" "Mother fucker, let me show you what I can do!" "How's that?" "Spin...!" "Look closer!" "Like this!" "You should know better how to land you foot." "I can do it easily, no sweat at all." "Look at me!" "Look at me!" "Li Chuan and Yang Jie share a tiny room, one occupies the bed, while the other takes the floor." "Li Chuan eats only plain toast with mineral water and saves all his money to purchase "discs" '... - pirated DVDs" "On subjects of Hip-hop music and dance." ""Everyday, I will be able to scrape a little knowledge from them, he says." One day, I am going to create my own dance!" "4 spins!" "4 spins!" "4 spins!" "4 spins!" "4 spins!" "Out of China, Into Asia," ""Final Destination:" "America, and even to the African Desert!"" ""I have a dream..." My dream is very simple." "I just want to challenge all the best dancers in the world." "I am not going to challenge their dancing skills, but their facial expressions." "You'll surely beat them at facial expressions." "I feel that facial expressions can also be a form of dance, ...correct?" "It is a matter of how you mix and match them to the dance." "For example your eyes, your mouth..." "It depends on your feelings." "An expression will have to match the music." "Li Chuan is a better actor than a dancer." "Really." "I just want to challenge all the best dancers in the world with my facial expressions." "I am not going to challenge them in terms of body actions." "Nobody does them better than the acrobats." "They are awesome!" "Skill of Changing Face!" "That is a fake face!" "I am going to use my real face!" "What kind of dance?" "Including this..." "Or maybe that..." "Really, I want to try it." "I really want to challenge all dancers with the best facial expressions" "I feel that it is also a form of dance." "I go through different phases, and in each one, my dreams will be different." "Since I arrived in Shanghai 3 years ago, not everything has been gratifying." "Luckily, while going through those rough patches," "I still stay with my dreams." "Sometimes, when the going got tough, I cried." "But I always felt that I could dream and there was still hope." "I really liked being involved within the arts." "But due to circumstances," "I chose to study foreign language at university." "If one day, I am given another opportunity to choose again," "I will consider choosing the study of Dance." "Or Drama." "Shanghai is a very commercialized city." "Emphasis on commercial considerations is strong." "On the contrary, emphasis on culture remains weak." "Take for example the Shanghai Theatre:" "The tickets are priced from 100 Yuan and above." "For an average working class family, say, common people, ...it is not cheap." "You may say it's quite pricey." "But in other countries, like in Russia-the Moscow Theatre, ticket prices are affordable for everyone!" "This means that most people can visit there at least 2 to 3 times a week." "But in Shanghai, only very few people have the financial ability to do so." "Come to think of it... if I were in charge of this matter," "I will definitely shake up the Shanghai cultural environment!" "Liang Yi never received any formal training in Dance." "Since 1950, when he was 18, he would follow very Gene Kelly movie shown in Taiwan to imitate steps." "In 1958, Rock and Roll music and Rock and Roll dance became popular in Taiwan." "That was the time when Liang Yi had his first performance." "In a small newspaper advertisement, he was hailed as the King of Rock and Roll Dance." "We have performed at so many different venues." "Good ones, bad ones, small ones and even big ones." "We have been through a lot!" "Most importantly," "I hope that all of you would maintain orderliness!" "Especially at a place like this, a piazza, so crowded with people." "We are so visible." "They can see our school's image." "Don't be like Li Chuan." "Just now Teacher Liang was very angry." "We are in a public place, so please watch how you behave." "Yes, you are good, and high, creating a great atmosphere." "But, don't let the audience perceive you to be unruly!" "I appoligize." "Are you making any statement?" "I am not going to say anything." "I was shocked!" "I did not do anything but warming up." "I was not doing a somersault!" "I want to add a few more points." "I did not invent the rules." "For a performance, whether it is in Japan or United States, when a dancer has changed into costume, he cools himself down and gets ready for the show later." "If you behave like Li Chuan, people will say that you are just half-raw!" "It was not even his show-time, and he was doing the show!" "When Yuan Yi and Yang Jie were rehearsing the steps just now, people will tell you that if you did not practice well, do not come here!" "Right?" "As a dancer, you should have to be all prepared before you come to perform." "The porridge that you have eaten at home is soft, but the shit we dump has to be concrete!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "In the past few months, Dreams 52 Dance School experienced an unusual lull in business." "The lack of commercial performances made Yang Yang and Liang Yi extremely worried about the school's finances." "Fortunately, they received a few phone calls today, and they have become busy again." "Are you satisfied with your performance?" "Not very satisfied." "I danced too little!" "I made some mistakes in the Kung-Fu Dance just now." "Very disappointed." "Because the Big Boss scolded me just now" "I mean Teacher scolded me." "It affected me." "I am too intense." "Is it always like this?" "9 out of 10 times." "The one exception is when he was not around!" "He is behind you!" "Just joking, just joking." "We are the best!" "That night, after a quick meal, they rushed to another discotheque for one more performance that lasted until 11 pm." "When they returned to the school at 12 midnight," "It was the audition for a TV commercial waiting for them in the classroom." "We are dance machines!" "Said a tired student." "No matter what the season is or what it is in fashion, one item that never gets discarded" "Liang Yi wears them for classes and wears them about town." "He always seems to be prepared" "I watched those movies by Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire." "They danced so well!" "I yearned to be like them." "I wondered, why was it that only Westerners do tap dance?" "Couldn't Chinese dance tap dance too?" "I was really hardworking back then." "I even took lessons from a Chinese teacher in Taiwan." "He was also from China." "He was very young, very handsome!" "Thinking back, it was really by chance that I started learning tap dance." "On what occasion?" "I was living with my aunt then." "They were a well-to-do family then." "My aunt's husband was the head in the Central Mint." "Their daughter was learning the piano and dancing..." "What kind of dance?" "I asked." "Ballet?" "No, the Tap Dance, they said." "Tap Dance!" "Fantastic!" "I dreamed about it day and night." "Was it really tap dance?" "I asked again." "My aunt said yes, and the teacher is coming tomorrow!" "I did not go to work the following day." "Why no working?" "My aunt asked." "I told her I had a toothache." "Actually," "I wanted to take a peep at the lesson." "After watching the class," "I knew I have found." "I have found what I wanted to do." "When my aunt was not around" "I took the teacher's address and I told him" "I would pay him a visit." "Since that day, in August 1949- it is also August now" "51 years!" "In these 51 years, I have never stopped for one day." "Everyday I dance!" "Yuan Yi has been in Shanghai for 2 years." "She is renting an apartment in a quiet neighborhood in Xuhui area." "For RMB800 a month." ""Once I save enough money, I will go to Singapore to study English, she said."" "Carelessly or on purpose, a photograph of her boyfriend together with her was left on top of the washing machine at the balcony." "Liu Jing also lives nearby." "She is the only university girl at the school, who does not get too close to anybody and never gets into any disagreements as well." "She wears a constant smile on her face." "She wears a constant smile on her face." "Their conversation are constantly about dance, English and their dreams of studying abroad." "The boys should be in pants to dance Rock  Roll." "Very proper-looking!" "Pants like these are not correct." "These are for Hip-hop." "This is good." "This is good." "This one doesn't deliver Rock  Roll feel." "At your best, show off your high legs" "Looking very straight." "Very beautiful." "Ladies, you should be in small skirts, short skirts." "It will be very beautiful when you dash outwards." "1, Ta, Ta Ta," "When your hips stick up." "Then the skirt will bounce, bounce!" "Look at this, correct?" "Correct?" "In the Chinese folk dance we also sway our hips." "If we don't sway, it will look awful!" "But it is not the same way with the western style." "It is the opposite." "We call it "Fan-Kua"(the Reversed Sway)" "Why?" "When you step on your left foot, you sway to the right." "So, it is reversed!" "In our traditional oriental dance, it is different." "When you step on your left foot, you sway to the left, left, right." "I will do a demonstration for you and you would be able to understand." "She will take a handkerchief, huh, left, striding the left foot;" "it will be in the left." "Change to the right and it will..." "Correct?" "If you take a handkerchief and not sway your hips, then you are not dancing at all." "So, they make use of this hip-swaying to become a dance." "Left, right side, left side, right side," "However, Rock  Roll is different." "They step on the left and sway to the right side." "Right foot, left side." "And so, they would be swinging!" "It is the reverse of how we sway our hips!" "So, please try to understand this." "Many people don't understand this." "Although they appear dancing well, they don't know how to sway their hips." "Which makes me laugh!" "OK, open, close, down, up, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, open, close, open close, turn, 5, 6, 7, ta, 8." "4 times, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, this is not simple!" "Dancing, how does it make you feel?" "It is interesting!" "Interesting?" "How do you say interesting?" "Inter... esting!" "Shanghai Vocational High School for the Deaf" "How do you say Young?" "Young?" "All the deaf students in this class major Dance as a subject." "Young!" "Little!" "They cannot hear any rhythm from the music." "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, open, close," "They have to follow the waving hands of the dance instructor's gesture in order to count the beats." "Left, right, down, up!" "Nien (Young)!" "Like Bai-Nien (New Year's Greeting)." "Young!" "How do you say old?" "A week ago, they took part in a nationwide dance competition for the Deaf/Mute and won the champion title." "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, open, close, open 1, 2, 3, 4, spin, open, close, up" "I'm very serious!" "Sometimes I'll be playful." "For example, when I am teaching the amature classes" "Not serious?" "Not exactly." "Lethargic?" "Sometimes, it is just that whenever I can take a 5-minute break, I will." "But over here, if I start at 1 pm," "I will finish at 5pm, and there will be no break." "It's a bit exhausting, but I feel happy." "They have souls!" "I can feel it." "Although they cannot hear and almost 99% of them cannot talk," "I feel that compared to people with ears like us..." "They have ears too!" "They feel more!" "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8." "World Peace..." "Ok, come on, let's do this!" "5, 6, 7, 8." "World Peace!" "I love the Earth." "Earth... how do you say Earth?" "Earth is like this!" "Wait, again, 5,6,7,8" "World Peace!" "I love the Earth" "World Peace!" "I love the Earth" "World Peace!" "I love... to bathe!" "5, 6, 7, 8." "Skip, 2, 3, 4." "From the age of 29, for 41 years, no matter in Taiwan, Malaysia or Shanghai," "Teacher Liang Yi have trained batch after batch of students who cannot dance in the fastest and simplest ways for performances." "He does not have any dance theory to teach and lacks proper dance terms." "He uses vulgarities to express anger at his students." "He sets his standard high and is very strict about it." "This is his teaching method, and he hopes to find a needle in the haystack." "The reason for starting up this school was because" "I felt that for decades," "Teacher Liang had been teaching students through the fastest and simplest ways." "In the end, all turned out to be shallow dishes." "This is what Teacher Liang has often told me, that he wish to fulfill his dreams with my help." "In the Hollywood musicals, the dancers are able to kick perfect sidekicks." "Maybe we cannot expect this." "But at least, you have to try to kick higher than 45 degrees." "Look at her." "They are so relaxed." "Ta Ta, 2 times, very comfortable." "On the same day, in the other room," "Yang Yang was getting ready for her performance." "Hands straight!" "Staright!" "Two more weeks to go!" "When we get there, we will rehearse first before going backstage." "Keep quiet!" "Don't get too excited!" "If not, you will not have the energy when you are on stage!" "Be like Yang Jie." "He is not talking!" "Change seats with him!" "Think through. 2 programs." "One is "Together", slotted as the 5th in line." "And another, "Butterfly Dream" will be the finale." "Dance properly!" "There are many comrade leaders, professionals and judges among the audiences." "Today's event is the finals of a singing competition for the University students." "They have invited us as guest performers" "So, we have to set a good example" "Yang Yang is not satisfied with herself being an ordinary Jazz Dance Teacher." "Deep within her, a passionate fire is burning." "An urge drives her to hollow out her savings to engage a renowned producer to compose this song, "Butterfly Dream"." "She choreographs the dance, and leads her students everywhere to perform the song, big show or small." "She dreams that in the near future, everyone in Shanghai, or even the whole of China, recognizes "Yang Yang", the dancer who also sings." "When I received the university's acceptance notification, at the same time I received a letter from Teacher Liang." "It was a very passionate letter." "He hoped that I would continue to learn dancing from him." "I did not even have to think twice." "At that time, China was before the Open-Door policy." "It was during the mid-80s." "Most of the people have not accepted his form of dance." "But I was already able to sense the charms that it was emitting, and the spark it will produce in the future." "I did not know where my gut feelings came from then." "But I had already chosen it." "I gave up everything so as to learn dancing from Liang Yi." "It was very tough then." "I have to say I am very grateful to my parents." "At that time, we argued a lot." "But in the end, when we made up," "I cried." "My mother... said something to me..." "She said, "Alright, go, if you feel that you have made the correct decision, we would always support you."" "If one day, you are pregnant and want to come back, we would still take you in." "Do not avoid facing problems." "When I heard this," "I cried intensely." "This sentence alone embodied all the hope, trust and faith that she had in me." "I felt it in this one sentence." "Of course," "I did not come back pregnant." "But what she meant was that, yes, flex your wings and fly." "Do whatever you want." "I think the biggest help we had ever given to Yang Yang, was to give her total freedom." "Yang Yang's Father." "We allowed her to decide what she really wanted to do." "Unlike most traditional Chinese families it would have been impossible to allow a daughter drop out from a prestigious high school, give up chance of attending university, then to dance in a night club." "The normal family parents would want their daughter follow their will completely and force her to finish high school and then go on to the university." "I thought that I am here to host a birthday party." "Why is it so quiet?" "Let us make some noise!" "I am very happy today!" "Very happy." "Do I have the charisma of Chairman Jiang Zhe-Ming?" "There is a birthday party today, a party for my brother," "Mr. Liang Yi." "He turns 70 years old today." "Let us clap to welcome" "Mr Liang Yi!" "Oh, it is a bird!" "I thought it was a chicken." "This is a Malay folksong which Liang Yi had translated to "Two Old Birds"." "According him, the lyrics are about him and his brother, Liang Er." "It is difficult for Jazz Dance to survive in China's environment." Yang Yang says." "A career in dance does not provide security." "Dancers come and go." "It is very difficult to maintain a dance troupe." "The dancers are changing daily, except for Teacher Liang Yi and myself." "Hey, Liang Er, what are you doing?" "Holding an umbrella?" "Aren't you..." "Singing In The Rain?" "It's raining!" "It is not raining!" "No?" "Then what am I doing?" "Acting like a circus clown?" "That is right!" "This is a remake of Ge Lan's hit song, "I want Your Love"by the late great singer Roman Tam, which was featured in his last album, "Shanghai, New York"." "His dream was to sing the old songs of Shanghai in a way that delivered the spirit and impressive style of the today's New York." "We just practiced that, you didn't kick high enough!" "I kicked the highest, sir" "It is not that easy to film a musical!" "I was dancing then, I did not notice sweating so much!" "Now so sweats!" "I think you all have to train very hard for another 3...!" "3 years?" "3 months!" "For a dance, you have to be well-learned to a point where you can put all your emotions in." "If you keep worrying steps, then you forget the essence of the dance." "And the essence of this dance is in its passions." "Of course, Rock  Roll Dance is from a generation which we have never lived in." "And it was from America, and we may not have the genes in our blood to truly feel it." "So, the first thing to do is to learn your steps well." "And then, be 100% relaxed." "All of you are lacking in substance." "You are not wild enough, not enough ferocious!" "You have to tightly grasp the rhythm and never let go!" "Not bold enough!" "Look at Ding Yan, she is bolder, because she is a few years older older, and more experienced than most of you." "So, she knows better" "Where am I more experienced, teacher?" "All of you 15, 16, 17 -year-old, know nothing about being bold!" "Is it bold or coquettish?" "Coquettish, Wild, Attractive," "Bright, Beautiful!" "There are too many!" "An all-rounded performer not only has to be coquettish." "But being wild alone is not enough!" "No!" "It has to be comprehensive!" "How to be attractive?" "How to be beautiful?" "How to be bright?" "You have to shine!" "You have to emit a shining light!" "Since I was a child," "I loved to sing and dance" "To put it simply," "I hope that in the future," "I would be able to expand my exposure to singing as well as dancing." "I really hope to learn dance abroad." "I want to see different kinds of dance from around the world!" "Maybe, I can put them all together" "And create a new form of Dance!" "Then I won't be so dull on stage" "I do not want to just sing or dance alone." "I want to do both at the same time!" "Maybe, I can even include tap dancing!" "I am from the North" "Each time I travel to a new place to perform" "It gives me a refreshing feeling" "Every place is different" "The environment is different." "The people are different." "Some are distant, some are warm and friendly." "They are all different." "I have a dream..." "I am learning dance now." "So I hope to travel abroad one day to learn jazz dance, tap dance..." "My biggest dream" "I am sure all of you know- is in the future, if I do not limit myself." "I do not want to boast too highly of myself" "But I am not going to limit myself also" "In the next 10 years just as what the director just said," "I will work very very very hard" "I will work very hard" "I will be pushing myself to a great height" "I will work very very... very hard" "Your sweat tells it all..." "I hope, no matter how long I take" "I will be a well-respected dancer." "Dancer..." "I wish that all my students, after learning all these skills and improving their techniques, it would eventually benefit their income their overall finances." "Maybe in the future..." "This is my first wish." "It is human nature." "I want all of them to live comfortably." "Only when you are content with what you are, you can then afford to be creative." "Especially the arts..." "When there are financial constraints, it would be very tough for you to be involved in the arts." "Which is why the arts have to be financially supported." "This is why I wish that all my students can live comfortably, then they are able to put all their hearts and souls into the arts" "Their faces would always shine with radiance!" "And not faces suffering of hunger." "Looking sad!" "Secondly, I wouldn't deny that one of the reasons why hundreds of students join us is that they admire our dance." "And they admire me." "Perhaps it is the way I communicate with them." "Overall." "They feel that it is different." "They feel that Yang Yang has a certain charisma." "They like it." "I believe that I own this charisma, which is why I am able to touch their hearts, and attract them to the school." "In this changing dynamics of time, we see many artists in the show business just like Liang Yi, a tragic little fellow." "Perhaps he has never considered himself tragic." "Since his 20s, Liang Yi has relentlessly pursued his dream to be the Gene Kelly of Taiwan." "And even now pushing 70, he's still clinging on to that dream." "By today's standard, the standard of dance, you realize his technique isn't there, his look isn't there, his humour isn't there." "Nor is his talent." "Juxtaposed against the present" "A dream set in such a way only underscores, the dreamers' fallacy in the content of history" "However, he possesses a typical Chinese Ah-Q spirit" "So awfully determined, so strong-willed." "He spends an entire lifetime to plough and weave a dream which is, from we the outsiders' point of view, an impossible dream in his long wandering life." "He drifted from Taipei to Kaohsiung, from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong, to Singapore, to Malaysia." "And finally came back to his motherland China in the late 70's, back to where his dream is." "An another dream, the Shanghai dream." "Since he never had a chance to do it while he was is Taiwan, or while he lives abroad." "He hopes to build his dream castle in Shanghai" "Truly, he is an ambitious dancer, a dancer with an ideal." "But the pursuit of the dream, in the context of the real world, is unmistakably a fallacy." "He is seventy years old now and he projects himself, and what he spends his entire life doing the Jazz dance, the tap dance, on to his student, Yang Yang." "Liang Yi, who's real name is Han Jing Ling, was born in Shanghai in 1932." ""Since his 20s, Liang YI has relentlessly pursued his dream to be the Gene Kelly of Taiwan." "And even now pushing 70, he's still clinging on to that dream." "Says Ling Feng, his long-time friend." ""Before I die, two of my wishes I must fulfill," says Liang Yi." ""First, I want to dance in the streets in New York, just right in front of the Broadway Theatres."" ""Damn!" "I have danced the Broadway dance all my life, but never been to the US!"" ""Second, I want to visit Gene Kelly's grave, and bow deeply to pay my respects to him..." "I owe him too much!" "During the process to help Teacher Liang Yi fulfil his dream of visiting Gene Kelly's grave, we discovered, that Gene Kelly was cremated after he passed away and ashes given to the family." "A grave never did exist." "You are too subjective!" "I am 70 years old" "I have seen enough, Li Chuan." "Who are you to show off here with your pretty skill?" "I am always trying to push you to the top, but you only aim to be a low-class bum." "What's a pity!" "You can't even wear a proper pair of pants." "Does it not show your individuality?" "You can be handsome!" "But you just want to look like a peasant dancer." "Fine, you can carry on shooting!" "I don't care anymore, director!" "He can do as he pleases!" "He can be naked and it's nothing to do with me." "Jazz Dance!" "It is Love!" "It is Sport!" "It is Wild!" "Nobody can stop me!" "Nobody can stop me!" "Li Chuan loves Aerobics and Hip-hop He loves to show off and often questions the rules that Teacher Liang Yi have set." "I am a damn superstar!" "Nobody can stop me from dancing!" "Nobody can stop me from dancing!" "He dreams of creating a one-of-a-kind dance "I am going to step on the international scene!" I want to dance!" "However, he can not dance at all, to Liang Yi's eye." "Dancing!" "Dancing!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "Nobody can stop me!" "I want to dance!" "Nobody can stop me!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "I just want to dance!" "Nobody can stop me!" "I want to dance!" "I just want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "Dancing!" "Dancing!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "I want to spin!" "I want to spin!" "I just want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "Nobody can stop me!" "I just want to dance!" "I want to spin!" "I want to spin!" "What are you doing, Li Chuan?" "Yang Jie, grasp him!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "I want to dance!" "Enough!" "Stop spinning!" "I want to dance!" "Alright!" "Stop spinning!" "Stop it!" "Have I mistreated you in any way?" "Why are you attacking me this way?" "Think about this yourself!" "Have I wronged you in any way?" "Do you realise that Liang Jing Ling has spent 18 years just waiting for today?" "I do not want people to get the impression that this form of dance that I advocate is so shallow!" "Do you understand?" "It is not that I do not want the best for you!" "I wish that all of you would be more cultured with decent outfit!" "Do you realise that our society sets a strict system for proper behavior?" "You think you are in fashion?" "You have to understand my feelings!" "Why can't all of you understand?" "You just move your ass and return to Taiwan and all of us would be left behind to bear the sorrowful consequences!" "Liang Jing Ling, is this what you call the western dance?" "They'll ask." "Have you considered that Yang Yang still has a long journey ahead of her?" "I will leave this world very soon." "Reality is very different from what you expect!" "You have to understand that the Chinese Communist is like this!" "I have suffered for 18 years, and now I'm here." "It's not easy for a school to build a good reputation." "We have been through so much!" "After we finish filming, our leaders would question our behavior." "I, Liang Jing Ling, returned to China and introduced modern dance." "Is this what you call modern dance?" "Can this be shown to the world?" "Having an attitude does not mean you can do as you please!" "Put yourself in my position!" "If you all carry on like this, you are just driving me to my grave!" "I am going to step onto the international scene!" "Of course I wish that you would make it." "But you have to understand." "Our leaders would never let you wear this and perform internationally!" "Even if I wore this shabby outfit," "I will still step onto the international scene!" "Alright!" "Get out!" "Stop throwing tantrums here!" "I am telling you!" "Throwing tantrums?" "Why don't you tell me what..." "Can you stop behaving like this?" "Then, tell me what is dance all about, Teacher?" "I, Liang Jing Ling, have suffered enough here." "None of you sympathize with me!" "Why can't you all dress neatly, like the students in Beijing Dance Academy?" "Although we are privately-owned, we still have to look proper!" "This is a documentary film." "When our leaders watch this and ask," "Liang Jing Ling, Han Wen Yang, is this your studio for "Dreams"?" "You are all day-dreaming, I tell you." "Please spare a thought for how we feel!" "It isn't that I do not allow him to wear what he wants." "If we are not filming this, you can do what you want!" "Go on with what you were doing." "You have to understand me!" "You are really difficult to deal with!" "Trust me." "If the Education Ministry sees this, they will disqualify my license." "Then, what am I going to do?" "Stop saying all these!" "Doesn't matter." "I do not have to be in the limelight!" "The limelight is not important!" "Go!" "After the summer" "Li Chuan and Yang Jie went back to Chongqing." "They took part in a Jazz Dance seminar that was organized by an American dancer." "The seminar lasted for 2 weeks." "On the last day, the American teacher wrote a letter for everyone." "To Li Chuan, these words seemed to have opened up his thoughts." "As dancers, you need to think about this." "Think about why you dance." "Why you wake up each and everyday to take or teach classes." "You can make it a waste of an hour and a half or an experience." "Dance is an art." "Art expresses... anything and everything." "Be thoughtful dancers." "Be interesting." "Movement alone isn't interesting." "Steps become boring." "Human motivation is interesting." "Dance can be just movement or poetry." "Let those watching you experience a part of you." "Be vulnerable." "And be real always." "Do not pretend or act." "Experience the dance." "Be alive." "Most importantly, you have to be honest with yourself when you dance, because the audience can tell." "They can see you." "If you are an "artist", a "dancer"and not just a "moving person", let them experience what you've experienced, let them read you, and let them see what you have to show them" "Afterthoughts:" "I could still remember the first time when I saw the students from the Dreams 52 Dance School." "I was blown away by their energy, youthfulness, and passion." "They were tap dancing and dancing hip-hop in rows of straight lines, constantly letting out bouts of laughter and encouraging each other." "Everyone had their own individual characteristics" "For a moment, I thought I was in Tokyo instead of Shanghai." "They live solely to dance." "They feel, they immerse themselves, they go crazy, they are overjoyed and they dream." "You could feel the vast amount of energy waiting to explode from their bodies." "The feeling is beyond words." "Or perhaps, I would rather not decipher it in the first place." "I admit that, this energy, is not something that you could usually feel within the youths of small islands such as Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore." "Many of the students had traveled so farjust to attend this school in Shanghai." "They know that with what they possess, they can never qualify to be professional dancers." "But, it is not a sin to dream." "There is no backing out, only to have no fear and move forward with theirjourneys." "As drifters, that is why they are strong" "As drifters, that is why they dare to dream" "And, maybe because of the same reason," "Shanghai is Shanghai" "A place where nobody ever forgets to dream."