鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
ItoldthemIenviedtheiryouth,theirsmiles,theirexuberance,theirdedication,theirspirits,andmostofall,theirart-consumedwithinthebeautyofsublimemusicandgloriousmovements.Itoldthemtheyshouldbeconsciousofallofthesevirtues,andliveintheluxuriouscomfortthatintheirlives,nothief,howevercleverorviolent,couldeverstealfromthemwhattheywereactingout,throughsheereffortandartisticmastery.Iadoredallofthem-intheheatofHavanawhereIwaslastweek-all70or80veryyoungdancersattheCubanNationalBalletSchool.Theinstitution,withinoneofthemostresplendentmansionsinoldHavana,hasatremendouspedigree.Ithasproducedsomeofthemostbrilliantdancersintheworldtoday.WhatIwaswatchingwerefurtherexamplesofextraordinaryartisticendeavours.Iwaswitnessinggeniusbeingmouldedamongstaveryselectgroupofyoungpeoplewhothirsttowinandreachthatgenius.Oneofthem,fromthebeautifulnameofSantaClara,performedthedyingswanwithsuchsublimitythatIwasmovedtotearsandjoy.Saint-Saens'smusicplayedhauntinglyagainstahumanbodywhich,beautifullyandintotalcontrol,contortedandretorteditself,inandoutofaswan'sstrugglingmovements.NeverhadIseensuchtremulousarmsandhandswhichimitatedatroublingswansoevocatively-andmostsensationalofall,itwasdancedbyaboy!Ihadseengirlsdancingthecelebrateddyingswan100times,butneverwithaboy.HewasanAdonais,andhismovementsweresheermagic.Therewasnootherdescription.WhenIlefttheschool,IlookedroundthedecrepitudeoftheseedierpartsofHavana,butfeltnosenseofsorrownorsympathy,asIrealizedalltheseconcreteruinsandearthlyprivationswerenothingcomparedtothespiritualromanceandartisticrefinementthatIhadjustseenenactedintheschool.Indeed,upanddownthecountryofCuba,musicanddanceareanessentialwayoflife.Thereisnocorneranywhereinthiswondrouscountrywhichmissesabeatonmusicordance.Itcouldbeabeleroorsalsa,atangoorrhumba;buteveryoneseemstoknowandseemstobehappy,singinganddancingandplayingsomemusicalinstruments.Theartofmusicanddanceispartofeveryone'slives.NowondertheydonotLOOKmiserable-becausetheyhavethepreoccupationofaculturetohangonto-atraditionwhichanaesthetizesthemfromtheharshnessofeverydaylifeinwhatpassesasrevolutionarySocialism.
Icouldn'thelpthinkinghowdifferentthepeopleofthisCubannationisfromthoseofmycompatriotsinChina.WiththesavagemassacresoftheculturalrevolutionthroughMao,weChinesehavehadthemisfortuneofmissingthatspiritualsenseofromanceandart.Perhapsthat'swhysomanymainlanders,especiallyduringtheseventiesandeighties,lookedglum.Buthowcouldoneblamethemwhenculturewassystematicallyandcruellysuckedoutoftheirlives?TherewasnothingreallyspiritualorliteralorartisticthattheChinesenation,duringandevenintheaftermathoftheMaoera,couldrelateto.Atleastinthevernacular.Littlewonderasduskfellandnightsetin,ourcompatriotsfoundlonelinessandunhappiness.Theyhadnopreoccupationintheirmindswhichwerenotstimulated.Theyhadnochanceofexpressingtheirartisticemotionsforwhichtherewereopportunitiestoplayout.Allthisshowshowimportanthavingaculturalidentityandaconscioussenseoftheartistoanynation.Intimesofhumanmiseriesandwretchedness,weneedspiritualandartisticnourishments.Apeoplewithoutthesestimulationsentailsapeoplewithoutimaginations-andmostofall,apeopleofboredomandtedium.
SoIgreatlyadmiretheCubanpeople.They,intheirneedsandlimitedfreedoms,havefoundmusicanddancetobetheirlives'preoccupation.Andthismeanstheybecomemuchhappierthantheymightotherwise.WeinHongKonghavealltheluxuriesofartisticandculturalopportunities.Letusnotforanano-secondeverforgetthatacommunitywithoutasenseofartandcultureandheritageisacommunitythatismoribund.Wewouldallbesomuchhappierifonlywepaidconsiderablymoreattentiontoourartisticpredispositions.Andwemustallteachthisrequiredsensetoallofourchildrenwhowillshapeourowncommunityinthefuture.Theyneedtoknowofthenecessityofartisticnourishmentsandpreoccupationswhichbringaboutcontentmentandhappiness.