Dancer Paralyzed During Olympic Ceremony Rehersals

A hidden tragedy in Beijing during preparations for the Olympics:

A talented, 26-year-old Chinese dancer was seriously injured during a rehearsal for the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic games just 12 days before the show, and is now facing the prospect of being paralyzed for the rest of her life.

The organizers of the opening ceremonies seemed intent on keeping the injury from detracting from the pageantry of the event. They initially asked witnesses and friends not to disclose the tragedy ahead of the elaborate production last Friday that showcased China’s prominence on the world stage, according to people who have visited the dancer in the hospital.

But after an inquiry from The New York Times about the injury and rumors about it on the Internet, members of the Beijing Olympic Committee visited the dancer in the hospital with a television crew, and said they would do everything possible to help her. They also announced that they would soon hold a press conference to offer more details about her condition, according to family members.

A little late for this gesture to have the meaning it could have had or for the appearance of genuine concern.

The performer, Liu Yan, considered one of the country’s top classical Chinese dancers, was preparing for the performance of a lifetime: dancing the only solo piece in a four-hour-long spectacular that was expected to be seen by a global audience of more than one billion people.

But on July 27, during an evening rehearsal at Beijing’s National Stadium, the so-called "Bird’s Nest," she leaped toward a moving platform that suddenly malfunctioned, and then plunged about three meters into a shaft, crashing her spine against a set of steel bars, according to family members.

She was rushed to a local military hospital, where she underwent six hours of surgery. But she now suffers from severe nerve and spinal damage. Her head was not badly injured, and she now has movement of her arms. But she has no feeling and cannot move her lower body, including her legs. Doctors have told her family that it is unlikely that she will ever walk again.

First the Chinese government fakes firework footage then is cruel to a child how thought she would sing to the world. Now they ignore an injured dancer and try to hide her tragedy, rather than trying to draw emotional support for her from all over the world. It makes me wonder how much more they have done that is not being reported?

The Chinese government is trying to put on a good face to the rest of the world, but in many ways are coming across exactly the opposite of what they intended. They don't seem to be too adept at dealing with media and people that they don't control. The sad thing is that their government would have won respect by being open about the accident and calling for support for Liu Yan, gained little by faking the fireworks, and people around the globe would have fallen in love with any little girl who sang to the world.

My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to Liu Yan and her family. Unlike the Chinese government, I'd ask for yours to do the same.

Here is a video of a beautiful dancer who will likely never dance again:



See more videos of Liu Yan's dancing here and here.

P.S. -- To worsen this tragedy, apparently Liu Yan was left lying in agony for over 50-minutes before paramedics attended to her due to strict security during the rehearsals. Adding to their deceptions about the fireworks and singing children during the opening ceremonies, Chinese officials originally insisted Liu Yan had "only broken her leg and was recovering from a fracture."