Embodied
Practice & Research
A trace. A pulse. A fading light.
A warmth that refuses to disappear.
A breath that travels within a field of release —
Becoming,
where past and future
evolve into a pulsating present
A gentle courage. Scattered whispers.
Of the heart. Of remembrance.
Stepping into the emptiness of the unknown.
—— Lingyuan “Maggie” Zhao
After-glow (2026), a dance-theater piece, reveals the closing of one life chapter and the tentative, hopeful embrace of the next. The deliberate use of voice, breath, silence, and the deconstruction of original phrases plays a significant role in the creative process.
SANGHA: SOUND AND MOVEMENT (2025)
Sangha/Phoenix Ritual, a collaborative work by Kun-Yang Lin (leading choreographer), Joe Small, Lingyuan “Maggie” Zhao, and Weiwei Ma, investigates the interconnectivity between CHI Awareness Practice (KYL/D’s singular approach to contemporary dance) and Taiko (neo-folk drumming stemming from Japanese culture and its diaspora), both of which are deeply rooted in shared Eastern rituals, traditions, and philosophies. Sangha, a Sanskrit word, evokes a circle of people gathered in spiritual practice. Rooted in the pulse of Taiko and the language of contemporary dance, The Phoenix Ritual was conceived among sound and movement, breath and rhythm, full embodiment and the in-between space/“間” (ma in Japanese), and the living traditions and ritual elements integrating collective wisdom and strength embedded in the Five Virtues of Confucius: benevolence (Ren/Jin 仁), righteousness (Yi/Gi 義), propriety (Li/Rei 禮), wisdom (Zhi/Chi 智), and trustworthiness (Xin/Shin 信). Through this assimilation, drumming and dancing search for enlightenment and celebrate their cohesive harmony.
* This work is commissioned by the Williams J. Cooper Foundation and sponsored by the Swarthmore College Department of Dance.