Li Cunxin, who has served as the Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet for 11 years, has announced his decision to retire from his position. The 62-year-old Li, who has been dealing with serious health issues since 2022, has chosen to step down in order to prioritize his recovery. His wife, Mary, who has also faced health problems in the past year, will retire alongside him at the end of the year from her role as Ballet Mistress and Principal Repetiteur. The announcement of Li's retirement was made by Brett Clark, the Chair of the Board of Queensland Ballet, to the company's staff and dancers on Tuesday, June 20.
Clark expressed his admiration for Li's remarkable and selfless service to Queensland Ballet throughout the years. He highlighted Li's incredible achievements, not only for his own family in China but also for his global family, ballet, Queensland, and Queensland Ballet. Clark emphasized the difficulty of adequately expressing the impact of Li's contributions in words and suggested that actions would be a fitting way to honor him. The board plans to celebrate Li and acknowledge his extraordinary contribution in the coming months.
Clark also acknowledged the transformative nature of Li's artistic directorship, stating that his legacy for Queensland Ballet is difficult to describe. However, the board is committed to expressing their gratitude to Li before the final performance of The Nutcracker in the 2023 season. Reflecting on his leadership, Li attributed the company's growth to the collective efforts of the entire Queensland Ballet team.
Li expressed his deep gratitude for being surrounded by an infectious energy and an unwavering spirit of dancers, creatives, and supporters. He expressed tremendous pride in the current state of Queensland Ballet, which has gained international recognition in performance, pathways, and participation. While he will always maintain a connection with the company, he is confident in leaving it in a strong position as he takes time for himself and his recovery. Li also expressed pride in the company's growth, major projects, and fulfilled dreams, but above all, he is proud of Queensland Ballet's solid foundation and his role in shaping that legacy.
Li regarded the past 11 years as one of the most rewarding chapters of his life, enriching him beyond measure and bringing immense fulfillment and joy. He acknowledged the moments of success as well as the challenging and uncertain times that pushed him to fearlessly pursue his dreams. Li viewed his tenure as an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the arts in Queensland, Australia, and the world, and he expressed his deep affection for the company and how much he will miss it.
Li's personal journey is truly remarkable. Born into a peasant family in a remote commune village in Northern China in 1961, he was selected at the age of 11 to train at the Beijing Dance Academy. Later, he received one of two artistic scholarships to study in the United States. Li's marriage to an American citizen in 1981 led to his confinement against his will for 21 hours at the Chinese Consulate in Houston, causing an international incident that involved the FBI. With the intervention of the American government, Li was eventually released. He went on to win two prestigious silver medals at separate International Ballet competitions while dancing as the principal dancer with the Houston Ballet and The Australian Ballet for over 20 years. Li's autobiography, "Mao's Last Dancer," took several years to write and became a bestseller in Australia.
Colleagues from the industry have already begun to pay tribute to Li. David Hallberg, the Artistic Director of the Australian Ballet, praised Li for making Queensland Ballet a source of national pride. Kevin O'Hare, the Director of The Royal Ballet, applauded Li for transforming Queensland Ballet into a world-class company and becoming a powerful advocate for ballet in Australia and globally. Baz Luhrmann, the Australian film director, and his wife Catherine Martin recognized Li's significant impact on Australia's creative landscape and expressed their confidence in his continued support for the future generation of ballet in the country.
In summary, Li Cunxin, the retiring Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet, has been lauded for his visionary leadership, immense contributions, and transformational impact on the company over the past 11 years. His retirement decision stems from his health concerns, and his wife Mary will also be retiring from her role. Li's story, from his humble beginnings to becoming one of the world's finest dancers, is truly inspiring, and his retirement has sparked tributes from industry peers who recognize his legacy and his dedication to ballet in Australia.
