Sichuan disaster took dancers' legs but taught her how to move to a new tune

Sichuan dance teacher Liao Zhi lost both her legs in last year's earthquake. But now, the 23-year-old is not only able to stand up again, but also dances across the country to raise funds for the rebuilding of her hometown.

No one in the audience watching her dance on stage at a Hong Kong shopping mall yesterday would have guessed she used a wheelchair until she removed her artificial limbs after one piece, to the delight of the spectators who broke into applause.

Afterwards a dance partner lifted her onto a large drum, where she beat out a rhythm, and later some in the crowd could not hold back tears when Liao's mother, Bai Jiarong , got onto the stage and lifted her up into her arms.

Liao lost Chongchong, her 10-month-old daughter, and her mother-in-law in the disaster.

'I should be tough and happy because I know my little Chongchong is watching down on me from heaven. She doesn't want to see a milksop mom,' Liao said.

'It's very difficult to overcome mental wounds. When I was in hospital, I tried to sneak into the delivery room to watch babies and see how the nurses bathed them. I can remember the sweet sound when she called me mama for the first time ... but I have to remain strong because I am the only survivor among my 46 neighbours.'