When the music in the dance studio sounded, Lin Haoqin slowly raised his head. He saw his waist straight, his eyes focused, and his arms moving quickly to the melody.
Inadvertently, his hands have changed the angle of the wheelchair and started a new movement.
Lin Haoqin has persisted in this practice for more than 3 years, and successively won the gold medal in the 2018 National Wheelchair Dance Competition and the 2019 10th National Disabled Games Wheelchair Dance Competition.
Now, he is training hard to participate in the 11th National Games for the Disabled in 2021.
Lin Haoqin (right) and standing dancers participate in the wheelchair dance competition of the 10th National Paralympic Games in 2019.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Lin Haoqin told a reporter from China News Agency that when he first arrived at Peiying Vocational and Technical School in Guangdong Province (hereinafter referred to as "Peiying Vocational School"), he was still a person who was not very talkative and relatively inferior.
Since he came into contact with wheelchair dancing, he slowly opened his heart, and the whole person became confident.
"Access to wheelchair dancing is the biggest turning point in my life. It made me understand that many things cannot be achieved without a physical defect, but we need a stool to elevate ourselves and get what we want." Lin Haoqin said.
"Everyone can win the championship"
Before coming to Guangzhou to go to school, Lin Haoqin had never left his hometown of Shantou, nor had he touched a wheelchair.
The one who took him into the wheelchair dance world was Cai Gao, the head of the dance project of the Guangzhou International Cultural Exchange Center for the Disabled.
Cai Gao is one of the initiators of the Guangdong Wheelchair Dance Team project, which was introduced to Peiying Vocational School in 2017.
In order to give the students an initial impression of the national standard dance, before the training started, Cai Gao made a special trip to take Lin Haoqin and another student to Shanghai to watch the national standard dance competition of able-bodied people.
Lin Haoqin (right) and wheelchair dancers participate in the wheelchair dance competition of the 10th National Games for the Disabled in 2019.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Lin Haoqin told reporters that the atmosphere, lighting and music at the scene were very exciting.
At first, he joined the wheelchair dance team with the mentality of giving it a try. After watching the competition in Shanghai, he became more determined to choose wheelchair dance. After returning to school, he officially started training.
At that time, wheelchair dance was still relatively small, and even the choreography of the dance was still being explored.
And three months later, the first National Wheelchair Dance Competition will be held in Guangzhou, which is not a small pressure for Cai Gao.
"Generally disabled people dance more hearing impaired dances, wheelchair dances are more inclined to broadcast exercises, because I don’t know what tricks can be played. Before, I learned that wheelchair dances originally had projects like the national standard through some videos and materials. Introduced to Guangzhou." Cai Gao said.
In order to choreograph the wheelchair national standard dance, Cai Gao often sits in a wheelchair and feels the characteristics and movement rules of the wheelchair.
In her opinion, wheelchair dancers must rely on the strength of their waist and upper limbs and the design of the wheelchair to show themselves, and at the same time make good use of facial expressions.
Cai Gao guides Lin Haoqin in wheelchair dance training.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Jimin
Lin Haoqin said frankly that when he first started learning wheelchair dancing, he was very tired. Not only did he have to adjust his body stiffness, but he also had to repeat some seemingly simple movements, and even thought about giving up.
"At that time, I wondered if I was really suitable for this field. Later, I thought that I still need to use my spare time to improve myself. Dance is a whole-hearted exercise, and I finally persevered." Lin Haoqin said.
In the 2018 National Wheelchair Dance Competition and the 2019 10th National Paralympic Games Wheelchair Dance Competition, Lin Haoqin won the gold medal with his outstanding performance.
When the reporter asked him the secret of success, he replied that as long as he has confidence in himself and keeps studying this field, "everyone can win the championship."
In Cai Gao's view, although Lin Haoqin is not particularly talented, he is a very hard worker.
"He is able to settle himself slowly, and then take the initiative to think and discuss with me what needs to be improved. This is also the touch he brought me. It shows that he now not only listens to the teacher's arrangement, but also learns to communicate with the teacher."
Find more possibilities in life
After graduating from school, Lin Haoqin went to work in a large bank in Guangzhou. After get off work, he occasionally returned to school to practice wheelchair dances with his schoolmates and teach them experience.
Cai Gao guides Lin Haoqin in wheelchair dance training.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Jimin
Lin Haoqin said frankly that wheelchair dancing makes him more confident and cheerful.
"In the process of learning dance, you have to dare to show yourself, this is the embodiment of self-confidence. Learning dance has the opportunity to move your whole body and extend it to life. For example, I will sit in a wheelchair and play basketball, badminton and Table tennis, I didn’t know what I could do in a wheelchair before."
It is worth mentioning that learning wheelchair dance gives Lin Haoqin an advantage in finding a job.
"I remember that when we were interviewing, we were all in wheelchairs. At that time, I wore a light blue shirt. I sat very tall and upright. It was in a different state from everyone else. First impression." Lin Haoqin said.
Lin Haoqin took a photo for the interviewees at the 10th National Games for the Disabled in 2019
There are many people like Lin Haoqin who have become more confident by learning wheelchair dancing.
Cai Gao told reporters that after learning wheelchair dancing, many students suddenly changed.
It turns out that a simple little girl can also dress herself with makeup, and boys will also pay attention to their own image, and the whole person will be more handsome.
Talking about why wheelchair dancing makes such a change, Cai Gao pointed out that many wheelchair dancers have weak waists and may have some low self-esteem. They tend to hold their chests and lower their heads.
"In dance training, we need to open their bodies. First, we have to lift their necks. Naturally, they are a confident body. After a person's appearance changes, he will feel that he is beautiful and confident in his heart. "Cai Gao said.
Cai Gao guides students of Peiying Vocational School in wheelchair dance training.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Jimin
Lin Haoqin nowadays is no longer reticent, and looks more optimistic and cheerful. He often encourages students to learn to be self-reliant.
"Don't treat yourself as a special group. You must communicate with others more and open your heart. After contacting others, you will find different things, and you will feel that you are equal to them. We can do what is capable," Lin Haoqin said.
Author: Sun Qiuxia