Words: Caitlin Finnerty

4 Stars

Trace of Belief, part of the Taiwan Season, marks choreographer Hsieh Yi-Chun’s striking international debut with a work that balances ritual precision and emotional release. Performed by a group of three women and three men, the piece takes inspiration from temple processions and childhood memories, drawing on tradition while questioning what anchors belief in an ever-changing world.

The performance begins in near silence, punctuated only by the sound of dripping water. The dancers sway in unison, their faces neutral, their movements precise and controlled. In formation, they march and shift with a ritualistic, almost robotic quality, a community bound together by repetition and structure. Yet when individuals break away into solo passages, the energy shifts: the choreography becomes looser, more contemporary, filled with fluidity and flashes of vulnerability. These moments suggest inner struggles and private faiths pushing against collective order.

Hsieh plays with contrasts throughout, sacred and secular, past and present, discipline and release. A standout sequence comes when the dancers introduce fans, their movements suddenly feral, animalistic, breaking away from the serenity that came before. The result is a tension between beauty and unrest, with formations dissolving into freedom and then tightening again. Visually mesmerizing and spiritually charged, Trace of Belief is both delicate and powerful, a thoughtful reflection on community, ritual, and individuality. It’s a work that resonates beyond cultural boundaries, offering audiences a meditative yet compelling exploration of faith through dance.

Taiwan Season: Trace of Belief
Dance Base
20:30
Aug 21-24