Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Arts
  • Cinema
  • Music
  • Events
  • Portrait
  • Reviews
  • Performing Arts

Wheelchair dancers enjoy diverse repertoires in Shanghai

by French Press Agency - AFP

Shanghai, CHINA Dec 08, 2021 - 9:11 am GMT+3
Wheelchair dancers from the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe perform at Shanghai Disneyland on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, China, Dec. 3, 2021. (AFP Photo)
Wheelchair dancers from the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe perform at Shanghai Disneyland on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, China, Dec. 3, 2021. (AFP Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Dec 08, 2021 9:11 am

Shao Yue was only 10 when she lost one of her legs to cancer. After such an incident, many thought she will not be able to continue activities she had previously enjoyed such as dancing. However, she proved them all wrong and is now a national wheelchair-dancing champion who hopes her story can help change perceptions of the disabled in China.

"People think we face a lot of difficulty going out ... and need to rely entirely on others to survive," said the 34-year-old winner of multiple competitions. "But we actually don't need that much help. And we don't need everyone to look at us as outsiders," adds Shao, a mother who drives her daughter to school each day.

Wheelchair dancers from the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe perform at Shanghai Disneyland on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, China, Dec. 3, 2021. (AFP)
Wheelchair dancers from the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe perform at Shanghai Disneyland on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, China, Dec. 3, 2021. (AFP)

Despite gradually modernizing attitudes in China, people with disabilities say they are still treated as outsiders.

Shao trains in Shanghai with a dance troupe comprised of people with hearing or visual impairments, as well as dancers who use wheelchairs. The troupe aims to combat stigmas by giving disabled people a platform to express themselves through art.

"Some disabled people often feel trapped," said Zhou Ziqiang, 38, a non-disabled dance instructor who started training artists with disabilities in 2006. "Once they join these groups, they can slowly open up and become closer to society."

Wheelchair dancers from the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe take photos with staff members of Shanghai Disneyland on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, China, Dec. 3, 2021. (AFP)
This photo shows wheelchair dancers practicing with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe on the outskirts of Shanghai, China, Oct. 21, 2021.  (AFP Photo)

In recent years, some local governments have worked to increase the number of fitness programs available to the disabled, and invested in building dedicated sporting facilities and training instructors.

Fighting spirit

Liu Huaiyu, 20, stayed near the back of the studio during a recent troupe practice session as he and his fellow dancers spun gracefully in their wheelchairs to pulsating Chinese pop music.

Despite his shyness, he said dancing has helped bring him out of his shell. "I used to be quite self-loathing, I didn't like talking to people," said Liu, who lost a leg in a car accident when he was 10. "After dancing, I even go out sometimes for strolls now."

This photo shows wheelchair dancers practicing with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe on the outskirts of Shanghai, China, Oct. 21, 2021. (AFP Photo)
This photo shows wheelchair dancers practicing with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Handicapped Art Troupe on the outskirts of Shanghai, China, Oct. 21, 2021. (AFP Photo)

Another team in their troupe made up of dancers with hearing impairments watched conductors at the front and back of the stage to count out the beats of the routines on their fingers.

"Even though we can't hear the music, we can still follow the beat," said Chen Cen, 34, who was born without hearing but has danced since she was 6 years old. "We put in a lot more work than people who can hear in order to complete a routine like this," she signed.

She hopes more Chinese can recognize the "fighting spirit" required of disabled people rather than viewing them as an "inconvenience," as she puts it.

For wheelchair dancer Shao, the most important thing is how she sees herself. "I don't despair just because I have a disability," she said. "I just have a different kind of life, and I can choose to live it in a more exciting way."

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 08, 2021 10:47 am
    KEYWORDS
    performing arts dancing shanghai dance troupe
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Most devastating cyclone in over 2 decades hits India
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021