The untold true story of a ballerina who defied Communist China—and helped bring Shen Yun to the US.

**********

The shocking true story of Communist China— and the woman it couldn’t contain.

As the Cultural Revolution sweeps across the nation, young ballerina Tia Zhang rises to the top of Mao Zedong’s favorite dancers. Her success leads her to a forbidden love with a dashing military athlete — but it can not protect them from the brutality of the Communist regime.

In a story that spans nearly half a century, Tia’s family life is upended when her new husband is sent away to a labor camp, their baby son is taken from her, and her career as a dance teacher — her last hope of autonomy — is constantly threatened by government control.

Yet, amid despair, Tia’s unyielding spirit and love for her family illuminate the darkest corners of a country in turmoil — and fuels her inspiring bid for freedom.

Dancing Through the Shadow is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit and the fierceness of a mother’s love. Set against the backdrop of one of politics's most repressive regimes, Agnes Bristow's vivid prose captures the heartache and triumph of a woman who danced not just for art — but for her very survival.