Dance for yourself with Tao Dance Theater in Beijing

Stretch on the floor, slouch on the sofa, jump on the bed, lie down to meditate or rest, hold hands with strangers — imitate them, hug them, laugh with them, and dance away stress and awkwardness.

It's hard to sum up The World of Movements — Where Body Language Comes Alive, an unusual exhibition by the Tao Dance Theater, which opened Friday at the 798 Art Factory in Beijing, a Bauhaus-style space of over 1,000 square meters. The professional dance floor serves as an invisible stage, while everyday furniture such as sofas, chairs, tables, and beds creates an inviting, homelike atmosphere.

An original production by the internationally celebrated contemporary dance company, the show features 20-odd members of Tao Dance Theater 2, a cohort of non-professional dancers from various age groups and walks of life, as facilitators.

The exhibition debuted in September 2024 at the By Art Matters museum in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, quickly found success, then moved to Shanghai's Museum of Art Pudong in February, followed by an appearance at the Move to Move International Dance Festival last month at the seaside community of Aranya in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province.