马颖慧 Clare
我对历史很感兴趣，而且在课上学习了很多关于中国历史的事件。所以，我听到有机会采访经验过这些重要的历史事件的人的时候，就想要问她关于中国历史对她的生活有什么影响，以及她现在对于这些历史事件有什么想法。我们有机会问了她三个问题。一、她加入上海歌剧院的时候才十四岁，这段特别的童年经历对她的成长有什么影响？二、她代表中国去欧洲演出的经历对年轻的她和现在的她留下什么影响？三、在文化大革命以后，她和她的同伴怎么重新回到歌剧院，怎么重新建立中国的歌剧院？在这三个问题中，我不但学了一些中国的历史，我还学到了一个很重要的人生教训。
她第一个问题的回答和我想像中相差很多。由于她十四岁加入上海歌剧院，我就以为她从小就是喜欢并坚持舞蹈的，可是她很明确地指出从出生到加入上海歌剧院为止，中国的战争不允许她实现这样的梦想。我觉得最让我深省的地方是她一直说：“舞蹈选择了我”。也就是说，她不是自己寻找到加入上海歌剧院的机会，她是被选出来的。在我看来，这是个很实际的世界观因为在我的经历中有时候你的生活的情况真的不是你自己能影响的，可以带你到你以前想不到的地方。
第二个问题的回答我觉得最有趣因为我从来没有听说过这个建交代表团，也添加到 “舞蹈选我” 的主题。在这个巡演之前，她说她对舞蹈的作用没有什么强烈的感觉，可是她看到自己的艺术在全球事务有什么影响后，她就发现舞蹈的意义。我觉得从这句话指出你在生活中受到的机会可能要有时间才能看到它的价值。虽然舞蹈已经选了她，已经给了她这个机会，但她过了经历后才找到她一生的呼唤。
第三个问题谈到她生活中的一个很痛苦的一部分。文化大革命后，她想要找回失去的时间，不想要控诉。加上，因为她的创作权在文化大革命中被删掉，她就要很努力的重新获得她的权利，最后得了一等奖。我觉得这个经历说明，虽然生活的情况很不公平，如果你有机会靠自己的奋斗，可以夺回你的权利。
我从这个采访学到了很多历史，可是我觉得最重要的一点就是通常生活是不可预料的。虽然你有时候会受到改变生活的情况，但是你还有机会和时间随它去或反对这些情况。我在现在这个年龄开始要有以后的计划和目标，所以我觉得这个看看发生什么的态度对我来说很有用。
I am very interested in history, and in school I’ve learned a lot about Chinese historical events. So, when I heard that I had the opportunity to speak to someone who’s experienced so many of these important events, I wanted to ask her about how these events affected her life and about what she thinks of them now. I was able to ask her three questions. One, because she was fourteen when she joined the Shanghai Opera, how did this unique childhood experience affect her growing up? Two, how did going to Europe representing her country affect her then, and what does she think about it now? Three, after the cultural revolution, who did she and her colleagues go back to and rebuild the opera houses. In my three questions, I not only learned a lot of Chinese history, I also learned a very important life lesson.
The answer to her first question was very different from what I thought it would be. Because she was fourteen when she joined the Shanghai Opera, I had assumed that she had always liked dancing, but she clearly said that from when she was born until when she had joined the Opera, China’s wars had not allowed her to have this dream. I think her most thought-provoking point was “Dance picked me”. In other words, she didn’t go looking for an opportunity to join the Shanghai Opera, she was picked to join. In my view, this is a very realistic worldview because your life circumstances are sometimes not influenced by you, and it can bring you to unthinkable places.
The third question touched on a difficult time in her life. After the cultural revolution, she wanted to take back her time, and did not want to denounce. Additionally, because her creation rights had been taken away during the revolution, she had to regain her rights, and she ended up winning an award. I think this experience points out that even though life’s circumstances can be very unfair, if you have the opportunity to rely on your own struggle, you can take back your rights.
I learned a lot of history from this interview, but I think the real lesson is that life is often unpredictable. This year, I am at the age where I expected to have plans and goals for the future, but I think this attitude of taking things as they come could be very helpful.
欧托斯Thomas
当沈蓓老师来我们的教室的时候，我知道她当然会有很多有趣的故事关于她的舞蹈事业，但是我没有意识到她对中国文化和国际关系有这么大的影响。沈蓓的生活故事教我为什么当有困难的时候，毅力非常重要，还有不管有什么情况，你需要继续做你的爱好。
沈蓓老师的职业路线一定不是普通的。她童年的时候有好多困难，所以她现在成功是非常感人的。她小时候经历卢沟桥事变，还有南京大屠杀。在这个时候，没有时间跳舞因为所有人在生死攸关。她14岁开始跳舞，当新中国成立的时候。她一开始跳舞因为是她的爱好，然后她变得很厉害。因为她练习很多和运气不错，上海歌剧院把她请进去她们的舞蹈团。我觉得这个故事的主旨是你应该用你的时间做你的爱好。如果你做你最热爱的事情，你不知道会带来什么机会。
沈蓓老师的职业发展不仅对她自己很重要，也对中国很重要。她的舞蹈团的任务是把中国文化传到别的国家，所以不是小的责任。那时候中国的目标是给西方的人看中国文化，所以中国的形象会改善。这包括欧洲旅行，还有做很多表演。沈蓓说这是一个非常好的经验，但是我知道一定不是容易。沈蓓的欧洲旅行不只是跳舞。她成功把中国的外交关系变得更好，然后把中国放在一个很好的位置。
最后，沈蓓老师在文化大革命中面对很大的困难。在文革中，她不能跳舞也不能编舞。在这时候，全中国有很多困难，所以再没有时间跳舞。我钦佩的一件事是沈蓓老师讲她的故事的时候，她不在乎讲她的生活困难。她说文革结束以后，她只要赶快加倍把失去的时间追回来。没有时间抱怨，因为她不能改变这个情况。很容易看到她成功把时间追回来，因为她成功做这么多事情，她不让她不能控制的事情放慢她的速度。我觉得这是一个非常重要的教训。
沈蓓老师的故事是一个非常好的例子。你不要放弃，要继续坚持你的爱好。在你生活中，你不知道会发生什么困难，所以你需要利用你所有的时间。
我会永远记得沈蓓的故事。她的精神会永远影响中国文化。
When Shenpei came to our classroom, I knew she would have many interesting stories about her dance career, but I didn’t realize her actions were so influential to Chinese culture and China’s relationship with the rest of the world. Shenpei’s life story taught me the importance of perseverance when facing difficulties, and to do what you love no matter what it takes.
Shenpei’s career path was in no way conventional. Having been through so many hardships early in her life, it is very impressive she was able to succeed. At a young age she had to overcome events like the LuGou Bridge Incident, and the Nanjing Massacre. During these times, there wasn’t time for dancing because people’s lives were at stake. She didn’t start dancing until she was 14, when the new China began to form. She simply started dancing because it was something she loved and was very good at it. With a lot of practice and some luck, she was asked to join the Shanghai Opera’s professional group. I think the lesson here is to make sure you spend your time doing what you love. Shenpei could have continued to be sad about all the time she lost, but instead she took advantage of the situation and started dancing. If you do the things you are passionate about, you never know what opportunities will arise.
Not only was Shenpei’s life development important for herself, but it was also important for China as a whole. Her dance group was given the task of spreading Chinese culture to the rest of the world, so it wasn’t an easy responsibility. China’s goal was to spread Chinese culture in order to improve China’s image to the west. This consisted of traveling all over Europe, and performing countless times. Shenpei says she enjoyed her time, but I am sure it wasn’t easy. Shenpei’s time in Europe was much bigger than just dancing. She was able to successfully improve diplomatic relations with the rest of the world, putting China in a better place to succeed moving forward.
Lastly, Shenpei faced another huge challenge during the cultural revolution. She wasn’t able to dance or choreograph for the course of the revolution. China as a whole was struggling at that time, so again there wasn’t time for dancing. One thing that I admire about Shenpei is when she was telling us her story, she didn’t care much to talk about the difficult times she had. She said when the cultural revolution ended, she only wanted to make up for the time she had lost. There was no time for complaining, because there’s nothing she could do to change the situation. It is easy to say that she successfully made up the time lost because of all she has accomplished after the revolution. She didn’t let something that she couldn’t control slow her down, and I think that is an important lesson to learn.
Shenpei’s story is a great example of never giving up and to do the things you love. You never know what difficulties could happen in your life, so you should always take advantage of the time you have. I will always remember Shenpei’s inspiring story, and her legacy will forever have an impact on the culture of China.