Born in Dalian, China, National Ballet of Canada's Xian Nan Yu came to Toronto to train at the National Ballet School and is celebrating 20 years with the company, having joined in 1996 before being promoted to principal dancer in 2001. She returns to the role of Tatiana in Onegin, a three-act ballet based on the novel Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, which opens Nov. 23 at the Four Seasons Centre of the Performing Arts and runs until Nov. 29. Herewith, Yu's five books that matter to her:
The Story of the Stone, Cao Xueqin, Translated by David Hawkes
I’ve found myself revisiting this classic Chinese tale over the years. It follows the collapse of a wealthy family and a dynasty at the end of an era and showcases the endurance of the human spirit under difficult circumstances. It’s something that I first read in Chinese as a teenager and didn’t fully understand, but when I read again later in life, was able to make different connections I hadn’t before. It’s a story that still continues to have a lasting impact on me with its important life lessons.
Eugene Onegin, Pushkin
Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin is a novel written entirely in verse that one of my favourite ballets, Onegin, is based upon. It’s a powerful narrative ballet and I love that this novel has a rhythmic quality that reminds me of the captivating choreography in the ballet in written form. The original book is the perfect marriage of narrative and dance, and will be in my mind as I perform the role of Tatiana this November onstage at Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
The Lady of the Camelas, Alexandre Dumas
Those who loved Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 Moulin Rouge will already be familiar with this tale, as the film was based on this classic French novel. I first came across The Lady of the Camelas while studying at Bejing Dance Academy and was immediately drawn to the story. While it’s a very different read whether it’s translated in English or Chinese, the story makes you question what you would give up in a situation where you had to choose between life, luxury and love – and would be an incredible role to dance!
The Journey to The West, Wu Cheng’en
Another classic Chinese novel, this story has a playfulness and imaginative quality that reminds me of ballets I have performed, such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It follows a lively cast of characters on a journey in search for sacred Buddhist texts and has been a favourite of mine since my teenage years that I still hold close to my heart. The characters’ journeys represent the strength that can come from keeping a hope and belief in something larger than you and questions the true meaning of life.
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
Growing up in China, I was not raised with this classic but instead introduced to by my husband only recently – I instantly fell in love! It’s a story that follows the four March sisters through their lives as they mature into womanhood. The four girls have very different personalities, but they are all characters who I found myself being able to relate to at different points in their lives. I’m an only child, but reading this was imaging what life with sisters would be like. I can’t wait to share the story with my own two daughters soon!
