A few letters sent to Long Beach Ballet following previous China tours:

From Lori Wilson, dancer --
I just wanted to thank you and everyone else at Long Beach Ballet for such an AMAZING summer of dancing and the most incredible experience in China. I still can't believe I've been to CHINA!!! I hope this finds you and everyone else doing well. Again, thank you a million times over for all of your help and support and encouragement. Also, thank you so much for making me a better dancer and pushing me to my limits! This was definitely and summer I will never forget.

From Alanna Fisher, dancer --
Thank you for a truly amazing time in China. It’s hard to believe all the things that we did and saw. I really enjoyed the entire summer program. The classes and the rehearsals were fabulous. It was how I’ve always imagined being in a company would be. Thanks for all of your hard work to create an amazing four weeks in Long Beach and an unbelievable two weeks in China.

From Dr. Dana Paull, father of a dancer and "tour companion" --
I have been meaning to write since we returned from China, but somehow time has passed quickly!   I wanted to express our thanks to all of you for putting together such an incredible summer dance and cultural experience.  It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and we returned to Phoenix with lots of memories and stories to share.  I know that Sara, Dana and I would all describe different events as highlights of the trip, but something that Dana and I will always cherish is having had the opportunity to travel with 44 teens and young adults and experience China through their eyes. The energy and positive attitudes of the dancers were amazing and really fun for us to be a part of.  ( We know that time spent with our teen is limited and we will soon be empty nesters, so it was a particularly special time to share).
Sara grew tremendously as a dancer and in her appreciation for other cultures and the comforts of home!  As the stresses of her senior year and determining her next (dancing) steps mount, we will try to apply the lessons of China (being flexible and going with the flow) to the tasks and decisions to come.  We have the photo of the dancers at the Great Wall mounted on our refrigerator as a reminder!  We would love to return to China some day and experience more of this fascinating country and its warm and friendly people.
We hope you have a wonderful year and that our paths cross again some day soon.  You have a very special staff and program in Long Beach!    

From Kayla Nicole Walker, dancer --
Thank you so much for giving me one of the best summers of my life!  There are days now when I wake up remembering random things about China it is still somewhat surreal to think that I actually spent over two weeks in China touring and performing!  I loved our group of dancers and companions!  I love China, and I had so much fun soaking up and taking in every little thing.  Thank you for taking me under you wing so to speak and showing me the back street in Guangzhou or encouraging me to do the bumper cars in Jusco or taking me to the open market where they slaughter and package the animals on sight!  I could go on forever about China!  I like to tell people about the day at the beach and how the beach was blanketed with umbrellas and the water was packed with people wearing floaties and that when Megan and I built a sandcastle, we had a group of Chinese people watching in fascination.  I really liked how we got to see “real China” and not just the large, developed cities like Beijing and Shanghai.  Those cities were spectacular, but what I enjoyed most about the trip were the places off the beaten path where you really se the true character of the Chinese people.  Chinese people are without doubt the friendliest people I have ever met.  Everywhere we went I felt welcome.  It still makes me smile to remember all the people who came up to me and tried their broken English.  Going to China was such a blessing in my life.  Thank you so much!  One thing I think is interesting is that for me the culture shock was not going to China but was coming home from China.  I’m not sure if that is how it is for most people, but I know that I have since then been much more aware of how spoiled we Americans are and how much we have and how much we have to be thankful for.  Thank you for being a family to me!  The past two summers that I have spent with the Long Beach Ballet have been amazing!  I’m really excited for the China DVD!  Thanks for putting that together for all of us!