On April 14, 2023, Briarcliff Entertainment announced the October 27, 2023, wide theatrical release of its newest movie, Sight. This is not just a “dance” movie. It is about a poor Chinese immigrant, who defied all odds, came to the United States with $50 in his pocket, attended Harvard and MIT, and became a world-class ophthalmologist. Why is this interesting to our USA Dance readership? Because this is a true story about our very own Dr. Ming Wang – USA Dance Athlete.
Dr. Wang grew up in Hangzhou, China, in the late 1960s and 1970s during China’s Cultural Revolution. To escape deportation to remote areas where children faced poverty and hard labor, he started playing the erhu (Chinese violin) and dancing, in hopes of being accepted into the Communist Song and Dance Propaganda Troop. With the help of dance and luck, he and his family held off deportation until the Chinese dictator died and schools reopened in 1976. Young Ming Wang, an excellent student, then strove for the opportunity to attend college despite great turmoil and uncertainty in China. Through persistence and tenacity, he eventually moved to the United States and rose academically, graduating with the highest honors and two doctorate degrees from Harvard and MIT. Today, Dr. Wang is one of the United States’ leading eye surgeons, who is credited with developing innovative and breakthrough technology that has restored the sight to millions around the world.
Dr. Wang and his wife, Anle, live in Nashville, Tennessee, which is also the home of the Wang Vision Institute. Still dancing, Dr. Wang and his talented dance partner, Chenhua Yang, are ballroom staples at USA Dance events. This year, at the 2023 USA Dance National Championships, they claimed silver medals in Senior II and III Pre-Championship Standard, and fifth place in Senior III Championship 10-Dance. But Dr. Wang’s dancing doesn’t stop there. A noted philanthropist, among his many charities, he organizes the EyeBall, an annual ballroom event which draws attendees from all around the world.
The movie, Sight, based on Dr. Wang’s autobiography, “From Darkness to Sight – A Journey of Hardship and Healing,” stars Terry Chen and Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning Greg Kinnear, and is written and directed by Andrew Hyatt. The Official Trailer can be seen here.
Dr. Wang’s fascinating biography can be read here. Better yet, catch Sight in theatres on October 27.
Dr. Wang has been a member of USA Dance (formerly USABDA) since 1996. He joined the Nashville Chapter in 2002, and served as the Chapter President from 2003-2006.
