在线英语听力室

2006年VOA标准英语-Young African Dancer Awaits 'Big Break'

时间:2007-05-14 01:35:20

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
22 December 2006

In a continent known for its musical prowess, but few economic opportunities, there are thousands of young people in Africa aspiring1 to careers in the music industry. In this final part of a series on challenges facing young African women, Phuong Tran reports from Dakar on a dancer who tries to make her living as an artist, while waiting for her big break.

Every day at 7:00 p.m., Awa Goudiaby, 24,  puts a long wrap skirt on, stretches while the drummers rehearse, and stands with other dancers in a dark alleyway.

She does small jumps and stretches before she enters the dimly-lit concrete courtyard where she will rehearse for two hours with other members of the Ballet Africaine Fambondy.

The singing is the dancers' cue to come out dancing in line formation. The drums' rhythm determines the dance they choose. Domba, Mandeng, Balanta, Wolof, Diolla, each dance named locally after an African tribe.

Goudiaby steps into the middle of a circle formation and performs a solo for two minutes. It is an acrobatic, gravity-defying series of leaps, dizzying turns and a landing from more than a meter in the air.

She tried to finish her high school baccalaureate, but did not complete her studies because she did not want to be in school. She had no motivation, but was not sure what she wanted to do.

"I believe in destiny. I was inspired by an African ballet performance I saw on television, found the school, and four years later [I] am now one of the lead performers," she said.

In a country where the average annual income is less than $1,000,  tries to dance full time by teaching classes to foreigners, dancing with her ballet group in monthly performances, and occasionally working as a backup dancer for Senegalese singers.

She gets paid about $10 per hour for private lessons and performances.

" It is not enough. I want to dance every day to make my living," said Goudiaby. "I do not know how to do hairdressing. I did not graduate from high school. I would not know what else to do if I did not dance. The dancers here before me have already left to dance in Europe.

Last week, a dancer from a German ballet company held auditions2 to find two female and two male dancers. Goudiaby and the others hope to hear the outcome soon.

"When I dance, I feel like a true artist. I admit. I want people to admire me, to adore me. I want them to feel the heat, the rhythm of African dance," she said.

When asked if she wants to be her country's next big star, she modestly replies: "I do not need to be star to simply shine. But the stars do help us see more clearly."


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 aspiring 3y2zps     
adj.有志气的;有抱负的;高耸的v.渴望;追求
参考例句:
  • Aspiring musicians need hours of practice every day. 想当音乐家就要每天练许多小时。
  • He came from an aspiring working-class background. 他出身于有抱负的工人阶级家庭。 来自辞典例句
2 auditions e5157b20249609404011a5fbf4ffb336     
n.(对拟做演员、歌手、乐师等人的)试听,试音( audition的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Find modeling auditions, casting calls& acting auditions, all in one place. 找一个立体感试听,铸造呼叫和表演试听一体的地方。 来自互联网
  • We are now about to start auditions to find a touring guitarist. 我们现在准备找一个新的吉他手。 来自互联网

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。