Li Cunxin became one of Houston Ballet's shining stars, dancing with the company for 16 years. In 1979, Stevenson had traveled to China on behalf of Columbia University’s Cultural Exchange Center to teach a month of classes at the Beijing Academy of Dance. Upon his return, he invited two Chinese students, Li Cunxin and Zhang Weiqiang, for summer classes at Houston Ballet Academy. Li’s strong technique won him an extended stay, but his sudden marriage to a fellow Academy student and his refusal to return to China when his visa expired briefly causing an international incident. When the issue was resolved in Li’s favor, he was permitted to join Houston Ballet and quickly rose to become the company’s most popular Principal male dancer of his time. The incident is recounted both in Li’s 2003 autobiography, "Mao’s Last Dancer", and feature film based upon it.