Project write up:

Inner Sublimity traverses currents of Eastern and Western philosophy through dance, creating a dynamic dialogue between traditions preserved across generations. This cross-pollination bridges Taiwan’s heritage, grounded in reverence and ritual, with Europe’s tapestry of religious practices, carving an artistic approach that challenges colonial narratives and enriches contemporary explorations of spirituality.

Creatively imagined for the unique space of the Vancouver Art Gallery, the performance begins with a meditative ritual and poem, setting the stage for a transcendental duet of deep somatic movement. The integration of an experimental sound score and mesmerizing interactive new media projections,  expertly crafted by these renowned local visual design masters, intensifies the atmosphere, building to a crescendo that probes the inner depths of human complexity.

Through this synthesis of paradigms, the artists spark new connections between disparate identities, cultural backgrounds, histories and lived experiences, paving the way for communion. Their exploration of spirituality and mortality demystifies taboos and opens a fresh lens for audience members to reimagine their relationship to these eternal themes.

Inner Sublimity received Dance Victoria’s 2023/24 Chrystal Dance Prize, providing vital support for research conducted in Taiwan. This research was undertaken as part of the Dance On Fluid artist residency to work with Wu-Kang Chen of Horse Dance Theater 驫.

Approach:

Inner Sublimity draws inspiration from the meaningful yet endangered traditional cultures of Taiwan, which face challenges from complex-colonization, modernization and Westernization. By integrating dance as a medium and technology as an extension, the project seeks to amplify the revitalization of these traditions, bridging gaps in audience engagement and fostering deeper connections to cultural heritage. Rooted in the sacred origins of dance as ritual, the work encodes ancient wisdom and divine knowledge, offering a powerful means of preserving and sharing these essential human narratives.

Through the creative process, the project also explores intercultural connections, such as the parallels between European spiritualist mediumship and Taiwanese shamanism. By decoding sacred dance rituals and re-encoding them in performance, Inner Sublimity transmits this information to audiences. The use of interactive technology enhances this transmission, transforming energy and movement into new sensory experiences that open pathways for profound understanding. This approach embodies a true intercultural exchange, channeling universal connections and fostering paradigm shifts, fulfilling the sacred and socially responsible role of art.

As interdisciplinary artists with practices spanning dance, choreography, new media, video, and sound composition, Sammy Chien and Caroline MacCaull employ an integrative approach that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. By critically interweaving these mediums, they push the limits of storytelling and expand the expressive potential of contemporary performance.

This project utilizes interactive new media technology to foreground the subtle transmission of energy as an extension of the body. Through motion-tracking systems, movement data is captured and dynamically transformed in real time to visualize somatic information and choreographic intent. Central to the work is a deliberate, gradual transformation of the immersive environment, where the new media infrastructure unfolds in parallel with the choreography. This approach enables the performance to evolve into a holistic experience, wherein the choreography extends beyond physical movement to encompass the entirety of the constructed world. By positioning technology as an active, responsive collaborator, the work challenges conventional notions of performative design and offers an innovative framework for integrating movement, media, and narrative.

Accessibility: Inner Sublimity transforms three wooden benches into immersive sound resonators using high-powered tactile transducers. These devices, discreetly mounted beneath the benches, convert audio signals into vibrations, allowing participants to sit and physically feel the sound waves. By adding a tactile dimension to the audio, this setup creates a deeply immersive sensory experience, fostering a unique connection between the audience and the performance.

This technology prioritizes accessibility by offering Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals a meaningful way to engage with sound through physical sensation, making the experience inclusive and transformative. For hearing audience members, the spatialized vibrations introduce new layers of dynamic range and resonance, enriching the audio landscape and adding depth to the overall experience. These dual aspects invite everyone to connect with sound in innovative ways, bridging the tactile and auditory realms to create a magical and inclusive encounter.

Trance & Qi Gong as performance:

The performance features Caroline, one of the two creators and performer, entering trance-like states where she connects with spirits with whom she has cultivated a deep rapport. These spirits guide her movements and create an energetic exchange in the space, fostering a profound connection to something larger than the physical choreography.

This connection is vividly illustrated in the live webcam section of Inner Sublimity, showcased in the projects cover photo. During this section, Caroline uses the webcam and its pulley system as a pendulum, channeling spiritual guidance through mediumship. Beyond the physical movement, the moment becomes a conduit for unspoken messages and a shared presence, embodying the interconnectedness and the limitless possibilities that emerge through the liveness of a shared space or ritual.