PARALYMPICS /
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Dear Flame...
China Daily
Updated: 2008-09-18 13:18
A girl "sings" in sign language at the paralympic Games closing ceremony at the Bird's Nest in Beijing, September 17, 2008. [Xinhua] |
The Paralympic flame went out atop the Bird's Nest as a hearing-impaired girl talked to the flame in language.
Flame, do you see?
You are in my heart.
Flame, do you hear?
I am singing to you with my heart.
So said Wang Yimei, 10, as the flame went out slowly.
Her dialogue was accompanied by the Thousand-hand Bodhisattva dance, where 126 hearing-impaired dancers simulated the flame with their arms and hands, suggesting the flame would burn in people's hearts forever.
Wang, who lost her hearing completely because of high fever when she was only four months old, is the youngest dancer in China's Disabled People's Art Troupe.
Wang performed the ballet Unceasing Steps along with her troupe mates at the Paralympic Opening Ceremony on Sept 6 and was a big hit with the audience.
Zhang Jigang, the executive director of the opening and closing ceremonies, said: "Little Yimei is a lovely and smart girl. She impressed me very much at first sight."
When directors decided that sign language would be used during the extinguishing of the flame, they immediately thought of Wang.
"It could only be her," said Zhang.