The wet market’s dancing queen
Print Edition
Li Houying, 50, sells vegetables at the Minma Wet Market in Maqiao Town. Every frequent customer there knows her as “the pretty owner of booth No. 49, who loves to dance a lot.”
Li not only dances a lot, but she also dances very well. She won the championship in a recent dancing competition held by the district’s labor union.
“Working in a wet market is a way to earn a living, but it’s not my passion,” said Li. “I have always loved dancing since I was a child.”
Li has been a vendor in the wet market for two decades. About 10 years ago, one of her child’s teachers suggested that Li indulge her love of dancing by taking a few lessons.
She duly enrolled in some dancing classes. Three years ago, she and ballroom dancing teacher Wang Lianqi decided to team up in a dancing partnership.
Fitting dancing into her daily routine isn’t easy for Li. She lives in Jiangchuan Town and has to get up at 3am every day to go to Qibao Town to stock up on produce. She arrives at the wet market at about 5am.
Li always takes a portable stereo unit with her so she can practice dancing during the lunch hour and after she closes her booth at around 7pm. She dances until 9pm.
“Other people may think it’s tiring, but I find dancing fun,” she said. “It’s never tedious when you are doing something you like.”
Wang said she is a great partner.
“Li is very gifted and hardworking,” he said. “She is not afraid of tough training despite her age.”
Li said her family supports her dancing.
“After I had my child, I sacrificed my spare time and outside interests to take care of the family,” she said. “Now they have reciprocated by encouraging me to pursue something I really want.”
Li’s story is known throughout the wet market. Customers come to see her dance, and some ask her to teach them steps.
“It is fun when we dance together in the market,” Li said.
“It feels good to stretch and move around after standing behind the booth for a long time.”
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