
深秋的午后,陽光透過斑駁的樹葉,灑在屋內的角落。81歲的常虹靜坐于窗前,翻看手機里保存的老照片,那一幕幕動人的瞬間,仿佛發生在昨天。常虹一生鐘愛舞蹈,從當兵到轉業,包括退休后都執著追求著舞蹈事業,她懷著對舞蹈的無限熱愛,將歲月的芳香盡情傾灑在自己的藝術人生路上。
1943年,常虹出生于遼寧省大連市。6歲時,她來到濟南跟隨姨媽生活,自上小學就酷愛舞蹈。13歲那年,原濟南軍區前衛歌舞團在濟南市選拔4名舞蹈演員,聽到消息的常虹抱著試一試的心態報了名。經過三天兩輪的考試,她從參試的200人中脫穎而出,就此開啟了軍旅生涯。
為了提高業務能力,常虹經常早起練習基本功。因嫌練功房的扶桿矮,她曾將一條腿通過掛在門框上的繩套吊起來,倚在墻角練習。功夫不負有心人,常虹參與演出的群舞《仙鶴舞》和《東風萬里》兩次入選全軍文藝匯演。1961年,前衛歌舞團赴朝鮮演出前夕,常虹隨團到北京全國政協禮堂演出后受到周恩來總理接見。1966年,常虹與同在前衛歌舞團當舞蹈演員的戰友郝建業結婚,組建了一個令人羨慕的雙軍人家庭。
1969年底,前衛歌舞團臨時解散,常虹轉業到濟南市無線電一廠,開啟了為期3年的工人生活。1972年底,懷著對軍隊的無限眷戀,她通過招考二次入伍,成為原濟南軍區空軍文工團的一名舞蹈教員,培養了大批文藝兵。
在36歲的人生節點,常虹由部隊二次轉業到濟南市文化館從事舞蹈教學工作。通過不懈努力,她迅速在單位嶄露頭角,成為眾人公認的業務骨干。其間,常虹赴河北省邯鄲市參與晉冀魯豫四省市交誼舞比賽,榮獲一等獎。1988年,第一屆全國城市運動會在濟南舉行,常虹參與了開幕式大型團體操編導工作,圓滿完成任務。
退休后,常虹沒有放棄對舞蹈事業的追求。她參與創建原濟南軍區老戰士藝術團,義務擔任編導20年,創作出一部又一部飽含深情、富有感染力的精品節目,并帶領團隊到基層連隊慰問演出。



世事無常,2016年4月底,73歲的常虹在逛超市時突發腦梗導致半身不遂,生活不能自理。患病初期,她心理極不平衡,脾氣也越來越暴躁。在這艱難的時刻,家人始終不離不棄,日夜陪護在她的身旁。戰友們也經常來看望常虹,鼓勵她面對現實,重新回歸生活。在家人與戰友的關懷與鼓勵下,經過一段時間的掙扎與沉淀,常虹內心深處那股堅韌不拔的力量逐漸復蘇,開始重拾樂觀的心態,積極接受康復治療。住院康復期間,她義務給護士們上舞蹈課,暢談自己的藝術人生,被醫護人員稱作“輪椅上的舞蹈老師”。
如今,常虹已經能持拐杖緩緩行走,社區殘疾人服務中心也為她申請了電動輪椅。在家人的陪伴下,常虹每天都會乘輪椅外出買菜、游玩。聽說社區舉辦舞蹈培訓班,常虹主動報名當教師志愿者。“舞蹈不僅能鍛煉身體,豐富退休生活,還能通過參加公益演出展現自我,收獲自信。重返舞臺是我的夢想。現在這么多老年人喜歡跳舞,我一定要發揮余熱,回報社會。”常虹對社區工作人員說。




編輯/刁艷杰
Dance Life
81-year-old Chang Hong has formed a lifelong passion for dance. Born in Dalian, Liaoning in 1943, she moved to Jinan at the age of six, and has been passionate about dance since her childhood. At the age of 13, she was admitted to Qianwei Song and Dance Troupe of Jinan Military Region, starting her dance career in the army. She was diligent in training, and twice participated in army-wide art performance, as well as being received by Premier Zhou Enlai. In 1966, she married a dancer named Hao Jianye.
Her military life underwent several twists. She was transferred to a factory, and then re-enlisted as a dance instructor. After the age of 36, she engaged in dance teaching at the Jinan Cultural Center, where she repeatedly delivered brilliant performances. After retirement, she actively participated in the Veterans Art Troupe, and created a number of touching programs.
In 2011, her husband passed away. In 2015, after the art troupe was dissolved, she fell into depression. In 2016, Chang Hong was half paralyzed after a sudden onset of cerebral infarction. Encouraged by her family and comrades-inarms, she regained her optimism, even taught some nurses to dance during her hospital stay, and thus was known as a “dance teacher in a wheelchair”.
Now, Chang Hong has been able to walk with crutches, and the community has provided her with an electric wheelchair. She signed up for the volunteer teaching of a community dance training class, hoping to maintain physical fitness, enrich her life, demonstrate her character, and repay society by dancing. “I have a dream to return to the stage, I must give play to my remaining energy,” said Chang Hong. Her life is a perfect combination of dance and perseverance, showing the infinite charm of an artistic life.
