Beating a path to the Bird's Nest

Ma Cunming has been counting down to the Olympics for the last year, ever since he discovered he would be performing at the Bird's Nest on the opening night.

The 33-year-old villager and 40 neighbors from Ansai county in Shaanxi province will perform their famous Ansai waist drum dance, entertaining the stadium crowd and TV audience before the Opening Ceremony.

"We are so proud to perform before the Opening Ceremony and to show off one of China's best drum performances to the world at such an important occasion," says Ma, a leading Ansai drummer, who was even invited to teach it in New Zealand and Peru.