Saturday, September 23, 2006
Zhouzhou
Good morning,
An awakening for those who write off handicapped people.
Zhouzhou was born in China with Down Syndrome. As a boy, when his IQ was being assessed, the tester told him to answer I Don't know whenever he could not answer a question. Although the questions were simple, his answers were mostly I Don't know and his IQ score was about 30, a case of medium to high mental retardation. Zhouzhou did not go to school and could not read nor write.
His father played the cello in an orchestra, and Zhouzhou went along each time his father rehearsed or performed. Zhouzhou was restless, so he usually made himself useful, like helping to move and set things about for the musicians. But quietly he would listen to the music and watch the conductor wave the baton. He would also amuse himself by imitating the conductor. All the musicians liked Zhouzhou and they left him alone to have his own fun. Thus he became a permanent feature at musical and stage performances, having himself painted like the actors and wielding their spears and staff expertly with corresponding actions. He was a non-performing performer.
One day, many years later, some musicians decided to have some fun themselves. They asked Zhouzhou to conduct while they performed the musical piece Carmen. Zhouzhou in his simple manner accepted the wand, went up the rostrum, straightened himself and waved the wand about. And what began as some kind of a joke turned into a fine performance. At the end of it the musicians were all in praise of Zhouzhou. Not only was he accurate and crisp, he was stunningly musical. He actually radiated with a passionate rhythmic aura.
That was the beginning; from then on he began to conduct bands and orchestras with enthusiam and perfection. He does not read music, but he naturally has the ear for music and the beat.
Zhouzhou has conducted world renowned symphony orchestras in famous halls of music around the world. His name has been carved in the annals of Carnegie Hall of New York and the National Theatre of the United states.
Watching him perform is to sit in awe and admiration. His movements are very natural and automatic, really like a child playing, no stress or intention, just play like. One has to watch him perform to be mesmerised, a short tubby penquin-like dressed man teasing with a little wand a large group of talented musicians wielding different types of musical instruments to entertain a hall of music hungry audience in an atmosphere of complete silence.
Zhouzhou is a member of The China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe. Its members are all handicapped people, dumb, visually or hearing impaired, physically disabled or even a combination of some of these defects, or mentally retarded. They are the only performing troupe for special art in the whole world that has entered the cultural market. With their formation in 1987, they have brought colourful songs, dances and music to the world, to more than thirty foreign countries, through a program entitled My Dream.
The group members, every one of them, their personal determination, struggle and success, easily moved all who came to know about them to tears, tears of happiness and joy for them.
People who have handicapped children, do ease your restrain, they could be geniuses trying to break out, just like Zhouzhou.
Have a nice day,
Ronald
NB. The dance "Kuanyin with thousand hands" which had been emailed around was performed by this troupe, its lead star is Tai LIhua who is a deaf mute.
An awakening for those who write off handicapped people.
Zhouzhou was born in China with Down Syndrome. As a boy, when his IQ was being assessed, the tester told him to answer I Don't know whenever he could not answer a question. Although the questions were simple, his answers were mostly I Don't know and his IQ score was about 30, a case of medium to high mental retardation. Zhouzhou did not go to school and could not read nor write.
His father played the cello in an orchestra, and Zhouzhou went along each time his father rehearsed or performed. Zhouzhou was restless, so he usually made himself useful, like helping to move and set things about for the musicians. But quietly he would listen to the music and watch the conductor wave the baton. He would also amuse himself by imitating the conductor. All the musicians liked Zhouzhou and they left him alone to have his own fun. Thus he became a permanent feature at musical and stage performances, having himself painted like the actors and wielding their spears and staff expertly with corresponding actions. He was a non-performing performer.
One day, many years later, some musicians decided to have some fun themselves. They asked Zhouzhou to conduct while they performed the musical piece Carmen. Zhouzhou in his simple manner accepted the wand, went up the rostrum, straightened himself and waved the wand about. And what began as some kind of a joke turned into a fine performance. At the end of it the musicians were all in praise of Zhouzhou. Not only was he accurate and crisp, he was stunningly musical. He actually radiated with a passionate rhythmic aura.
That was the beginning; from then on he began to conduct bands and orchestras with enthusiam and perfection. He does not read music, but he naturally has the ear for music and the beat.
Zhouzhou has conducted world renowned symphony orchestras in famous halls of music around the world. His name has been carved in the annals of Carnegie Hall of New York and the National Theatre of the United states.
Watching him perform is to sit in awe and admiration. His movements are very natural and automatic, really like a child playing, no stress or intention, just play like. One has to watch him perform to be mesmerised, a short tubby penquin-like dressed man teasing with a little wand a large group of talented musicians wielding different types of musical instruments to entertain a hall of music hungry audience in an atmosphere of complete silence.
Zhouzhou is a member of The China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe. Its members are all handicapped people, dumb, visually or hearing impaired, physically disabled or even a combination of some of these defects, or mentally retarded. They are the only performing troupe for special art in the whole world that has entered the cultural market. With their formation in 1987, they have brought colourful songs, dances and music to the world, to more than thirty foreign countries, through a program entitled My Dream.
The group members, every one of them, their personal determination, struggle and success, easily moved all who came to know about them to tears, tears of happiness and joy for them.
People who have handicapped children, do ease your restrain, they could be geniuses trying to break out, just like Zhouzhou.
Have a nice day,
Ronald
NB. The dance "Kuanyin with thousand hands" which had been emailed around was performed by this troupe, its lead star is Tai LIhua who is a deaf mute.