WHEN Li Cunxin took the helm of the Queensland Ballet (QB) 10 years ago, he was always clear about his ambition: he wanted to build a world class company. It didn’t matter that the Queensland Ballet is a state company with less funding and resources than the equally ambitious Australian Ballet company down south – there’s plenty of room in one country, after all, for more than one world class company.
Ten years later, despite the two-year setback of the pandemic, Li is quietly satisfied with his progress. His business savvy, his artistic credentials, the respect of his peers and his immense personal popularity have combined to see the company’s reputation soar, both in Australia and overseas. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) in 2019.
No doubt his celebrity status as Mao’s Last Dancer also has a little to do with his success. Not too many artistic directors would have a name that is familiar to both dancers and taxi drivers.
While the company Li inherited was in respectable shape, since he took the reins ticket sales have skyrocketed,
