Hometown ties

Mao's Last Dancer star to guest perform in "The Nutcracker"

UPDATE: Chi Cao's final guest performances as the prince in the Houston Ballet holiday classic, "The Nutcracker," are Dec. 22 and 23 (both matinees).

Guests at "The Nutrcraker" tonight will be in for a special treat as Chi Cao, star of Bruce Beresford's Mao's Last Dancer, takes the stage to guest star as the prince.

Beresford's film centers around former Houston Ballet dancer Li Cunxin, who defected from Communist China in 1981 to continue dancing under Ben Stevenson as a member of the Houston company. One of the first two cultural exchange students allowed to study in America during Mao's reign, Li spawned an international incident when he was detained for 21 hours at the Houston consulate. George H. W. Bush, then Vice President, intervened on Li's behalf. Li had a 16-year career with Houston Ballet before moving to Australia with his family in 1995.

Chi Cao, a principal in the Birmingham Royal Ballet in England, plays the adult Li in the film. The movie opened internationally in October and is slated to hit U.S. theaters next year.

He will also guest star as the prince during matinee performances Dec. 20, 22 and 23.

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Mini-golf, big goals

3 new Texas mini-golf destinations tee up competition in Houston

Photo by Mitch Lowe

There's more than bragging rights at stake.

Houstonians will have a new sport to keep them busy until the Astros start playing regular season baseball with the debut of the Holey Moley Open, a whimsical mini-golf competition with a hefty prize. A multi-day competition across Austin, Houston, and San Antonio will gather each region's best teams to compete for a final $10,000 win on April 8. The State Final will be held in Austin.

Don't worry about practicing your golf clap — this sporting event is more like a party. Spectators are encouraged to wear costumes, and can enjoy confetti showers and food and drink specials.

The popular Australian chain Holey Moley made its Texas debut in Austin in March 2024; it was quickly followed by a Houston location in April and a San Antonio location in December. The course's indoor setup enabled the creators who built it to really go wild with both the challenges and the surrounding decor.

Holey Moley is giving Texas a shot, Holey Moley Golf Club/Facebook

The updated mini-golf idea idea contains heaps of nostalgia from different sources: the childish fun of the game, the feeling of being in an arcade, and a whole lot of movie references. It also injects layers upon layers of Texas references, from Dazed and Confused,to NASA, to longhorns. Something shared between all locations is careful artistry, a creative cocktail bar, nearly omnipresent neon glow.

Houstonians planning to get a team together will have a chance to register between February 25 and March 10. Teams must be four people who are at least 21 years old. A total of 60 teams will be selected to compete across the state, and the winning teams traveling to the State Final will have travel accommodations covered.

There are some more rules players will want to know, but most important is that each team will play one nine-hole round with an official caddy taking care of scorekeeping.

Holey Moley is located at 3839 Wesleyan St. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays from noon to 11 pm, Fridays from noon to midnight, Saturdays from 11 am to midnight, and Sundays from noon to 10 pm.

mini-golf sports competitions

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Mao's Last Dancer star to guest perform in "The Nutcracker"

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Mini-golf, big goals

3 new Texas mini-golf destinations tee up competition in Houston