Modern dancer lives her dream

Xie Xin practices dancing in Beijing, May 19, 2014. [Photo/IC]

Xie dances every day to discover the new possibilities within her body.

"Dances are experiments with our bodies. We use our imagination to make each dance unique," she said.

Xie's devotion has been rewarded. She won the championship at a national dance contest in 2012 with a 500,000 yuan award and a scholarship valued at 50,000 yuan.

"I attend dance contests because they are fun," Xie continued, "and I have never realized that people consider my dances moving and unique. I sometimes doubt myself even though I have won a championship." She considers audience approval much more satisfying than winning prizes.

She also decided to give her dance scholarship money to her mom and explained, "My parents divorced when I was little and my mom raised me and helped me pursue my dance career on her own. She doesn't have any savings and I want a better life for her. Giving is always more pleasing than receiving."

Besides her mother, Xie also appreciates her boyfriend's support. It has been 10 years since Xie and her boyfriend, who is easygoing and very caring, first met in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. "I have been living in Beijing alone for three years and I understand his loneliness, however, I will truly regret it if I give up dancing to stay with him.

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