Rising from the ashes

When In Satie/The Rite of Spring premiered earlier this year in Shanghai, Xie was moved by the audience's response. "Many people saw directly into my heart," she says. "Those words gave me new strength, and I could feel the audience breathing with me."

The second half, particularly, becomes a reflection of the resilience of the human spirit.

"Sometimes, life requires you to understand that only through adversity can you truly face the inner strength within," Xie says. The piece takes on new meaning after the fire, where the layers of loss peel away, revealing moments of light.

"The fire is like a gift that destiny handed me when I turned 40: a chance to let go of things, a chance to experience beauty in a broken sense. You come face-to-face with the changes in your inner world and learn to place every step honestly into the work," she adds.

The 10th anniversary celebration will also see another significant dance work, with two reunion performances that encapsulate the spirit, growth and evolution of a decade-long journey in Xie's world of contemporary dance.