Infinite Infant: Embodying a Revolution to Restore Spirituality in Dance

Abstract

My MFAEIP thesis project represents an interdisciplinary integration of spirituality and dance. This thesis is based on a 40-min live performance, animated by my ongoing questioning of how innate spirituality in dance is being suppressed. This claim is, evidenced by the disappearance of numerous sacred dances, the growing emphasis on technical and practical proficiency in dance education and performance, and dance being constrained by a standardized and specific aesthetic. I have personally experienced the suppression of dance education in China, through corporal punishment, and verbal abuse,INFINITE INFANT strives to peel off constraints such as preconceived notions of beauty, prescribed movement patterns, or concern for an audience's preference. My movement praxis, in contrast, seeks to locate the spiritual core of dance by allowing and waiting for unforced and unrestricted movements to emerge. Through my humble perspectives, writings, and performances, I'm trying to call on the audience to rethink dance's meaning, form, and existence while evoking empathy and general reflection on the dance field.