"Where there is a will, there is a way." Those who believe in this saying usually have a better chance to succeed than others. One such person is Lin Hwai-min, the founder of cloud Gate Dance theatre of Taiwabn, a dance company that has played an important role in the development of modern dance in Taiwan. Without a doubt, Lin's determination to pursue his dream has greatly inspired many people.

For Lin Hwai-min, the road to success was not easy, especially because his parents were never serious about his dream. Lin's strong interest in dancing began at a young age. As a child, he often moved his body like a ballet dancer. However, Lin's parents would prefer their son to do well on his school exams, have a successful career, and enjoy high social status. In their eyes, dancing could be a hobby at most, it could never be a career choice.

Although his parents didn't agree with what he had chosen, Lin's love of dancing never faded. He held on to his dream of becoming a dancer, and finally started taking modern dance lessons when he was working On a master's degree in creative writing in the U.S.A.

The training was much harder than he had expected, though. At that time, Lin was already twenty-three years old. Thus, it was more difficult than usual for him to learn dancing skills at that "old" age. "I couldn't even get up in the morning. I just wanted to quit," Lin once said. In the begginning, his teacher was not satisfied with his performance. Yet, Lin kept on dancing-not to the teacher's tune, but to his own tune. This determined young man refused to let any challenges stop him.

Eventually, Lin not only successfully started his career as a great dancer at professional dance troupes in the U.S.A., but also, in 1973, founded Cloud Gate in his hometown, Taiwan. For years, Cloud Gate's performances have been earning shiny praises around the world for the perfect fusion of Chinese an Western dancing spirits and skills.