Their most famous act is from the classic Chinese novel, Hong Lou Meng, or A Dream of Red Mansions.. Jia Baoyu, the son of a rich family, falls in love with Lin Daiyu, his delicate, beautiful cousin. All Chinese opera lovers know the scene by heart, and so do Mika and Charlotte MacInnis, who have performed it hundreds of times for curious Chinese audiences. Bedecked in a flowing gown of red and white, hair ornamented with colorful jewels, Mika looks at the audience and sings, "I know he's supposed to be proud and arrogant but he looks nice," while her sister, dressed as Jia Baoyu, stands nearby.

       Known as Aizhong and Aihua, both of which mean "Love China," the sister duo has danced and sung their way into becoming household names in China. In addition to their Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu act, they have a repertoire of other classics from Chinese opera; traditional Chinese folk songs;xiangsheng, which is a kind of comedic crosstalk; and even Chinese rap. In a recent variety show that aired in Suzhou, Mika and Charlotte appear, dressed in matching black miniskirts and bright blouses tied at the waist. As the sisters rap about the wonders of Suzhou, a troupe of girls garbed in fluorescent green tanktops and blue jeans wiggle behind them. "People love to have us sing about their cities," muses Charlotte.

       The MacInnises moved to China in 1988 when Mika was nine and Charlotte only seven. Although they now live in Beijing, they first lived in Nanjing for many years. As there were very few other foreigners in the city at the time and no international school to speak of, the sisters attended Chinese schools. After four months of intensive Chinese, Mika and Charlotte were ready to attend school with a translator on hand. Soon afterwards, they didn't need one at all.

       They got their big start in the Chinese "show-biz" scene, when the Little Red Flowers performing troupe hired them as translators. Based in Nanjing, the Little Red Flowers is one of the leading children's performance troupes in China, training many of the most talented future Chinese opera performers. "They didn't want us at first because they thought we were too tall," said Charlotte. Their mother, Elyn, explains, "they have an attitude that if you don't fit the mold, they will find someone else." Mika continues, "They wanted foreign kids who could speak both English and Chinese and at the time, there was no one else."

       So Mika and Charlotte stayed, and relationship between the MacInnises and the performance troupe proved to be a long and successful one. Over the years, Mika and Charlotte have performed at hundreds of functions: variety shows; music videos; New Year's television specials; and ceremonies for schools, hospitals and businesses. Their fame and achievements has made them the topic of countless articles and documentaries, including National Geographic Kid's magazine and a front-page story in the Wall Street Journal. But one thing their fame in China has not brought, however, is loads of money. "Putting together all of our performances," considers Mika, "I would be surprised if we made $5,000." Performers are usually expected to supply their own costumes and pay their own travel expenses. It's not at all an easy living and performers sometimes end up paying to perform.

       Though best known for their acts together, each has started to explore her own talents. Charlotte, who loves performing, has made headway into the world of Chinese television dramas. She currently stars in the popular series, Zheng Da Zong Yi, which airs every Sunday on CCTV1&2 at 4 pm and 7:30 pm in which she plays a 27-year-old brain surgeon known as Dr. T, who has a seven-year old daughter. She was also recently in a three part TV movie, Jia he Wan Shi Xin, playing the wife of the eldest son.

       Mika, who is more on the musical side, plays several traditional Chinese instruments including the ocarina, an ancient Chinese instrument rediscovered in the 1960s. She has deferred from college for a year and is currently studying music exclusively. She just finished collaborating on a 3 CD set of Chinese music that is to be released in the US. Her mother, Elyn who plays the suo na, a kind of Chinese saxophone used in Beijing opera, and na zi, a traditional Henan instrument, is another Chinese music lover.

       The third generation of MacInnises to live in China, Mika and Charlotte have an interesting family history. Their grandfather, Donald, was a missionary in China and wrote a well-regarded book about Christianity in China. Peter, their father, was born in Fuzhou, grew up in Taiwan, and started his US education in high school. He now works as a consultant in China. Elyn teaches English at Middle School 55 and sometimes accompanies adoptive foreign families to Chinese orphanages to pick up their babies. When questioned if the youngest generation plans on doing something related to China, Mika quickly replied, "Oh definitely." Though she will have to leave China to attend Brown University in the fall, she is thinking of doing documentaries on China in the future. Charlotte, who will graduate from high school this year, also plans to attend college in the US where she would like to study drama. Afterwards, she wants to return to China and continue working in television. "Something to fuse the two cultures," she says.

       For Mika and Charlotte, "returning" to the US might not be so much like going home as going to another country. Having grown up here, China has become a home for them too. "Both [cultures] are so much a part of me," Mika explains. The MacInnis sisters, in addition to being a whole lot of fun watch perform, are also helping redefine what is Chinese and American in an ever-changing landscape.