Mao’s Last Dancer ending explained

Spoiler summary page for informational search intent.

What happens at the end?

At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he falls in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet.

Why it matters

The ending resolves the main conflict and sets up the emotional takeaway of the story. As the index grows, this block can be auto-generated with more detailed scene-level commentary.

FAQ

Does this page contain spoilers?

Yes. The explanation summarizes major ending events and interpretation.

Where can I find similar endings and themes?

Check the similar movies page for related tone and narrative structure.