Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Sole to Soul: A Western Glimpse at Foot-Binding
Takivan Damula Chuyouji, Wei-Wei Wu, and Chi-An Chen
Genre: Dance and Movement Theatre
Venue: Studio at theSpace @ Niddry St
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
“Sole to Soul” is a compelling 30-minute dance theatre piece, skillfully blending the stylized movements of traditional Chinese opera with the expressive fluidity of contemporary dance, the work offers a unique cross-cultural experience.
Review
“Sole to Soul” is a compelling 30-minute dance theatre piece crafted by Takivan Damula Chuyouji, Wei-Wei Wu, and Chi-An Chen. Skillfully blending the stylized movements of traditional Chinese opera with the expressive fluidity of contemporary dance, the work offers a unique cross-cultural experience. At its heart is a female performer, whose sleek, polished makeup and understated Chinese-inspired costumeaccented by the iconic bound shoes, which evoke themes of struggle, beauty, and restraint.
The practice of foot-binding, or “lotus feet,” was a centuries-old custom in China, beginning as early as the 10th century and persisting into the early 20th century. Small, delicately shaped feet were considered the ultimate standard of feminine beauty and social status. The process typically began with young girls, whose feet were tightly bound to break the arch and curl the toes under, resulting in the so called “three-inch golden lotus.”
This was not only excruciatingly painful but also caused lifelong disability. Yet, bound feet became a marker of privilege: it indicated that a family was affluent enough for their daughters and wives to avoid manual labor. While modern perspectives often view foot-binding as a form of patriarchal oppression, it was also a deeply ingrained social practice, interwoven with ideas of desirability, virtue, and family honor. The tradition has since been widely condemned, but its legacy continues to provoke complex questions about agency, conformity, and the cost of beauty.
In the piece, the motif of bound feet is rendered with sensitivity and theatrical flair. Rather than physically deforming the dancer’s feet, the performance draws inspiration from Chinese opera tradition: the performer dons specially designed shoes, walking delicately on the soles to suggest the “three-inch golden lotus” ideal. This stylization preserves the essence of the practice without resorting to graphic realism.
The opening sequence stands out: a male dancer, his hands and socked feet illuminated by torchlight, intrudes upon the restricted space of the central performer. This interaction is charged with symbolism, at once evoking protection, invasion, and the fragile boundaries of autonomy and control. While the choreography is technically assured and visually engaging, the symbolism of the bound foot is also a potent metaphor for systemic constraint, which could be explored more deeply. The recurring use of plastic bags to represent materialism and desire feels somewhat cliché, diminishing the overall impact.
Visually, the production might benefit from bolder, more dramatic choices. Such as the dancer removing her bound shoes or letting down her hair to intensify the emotional resonance.
Overall, “Sole to Soul” invites reflection on a fraught chapter of Chinese history, encouraging Western audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe to consider both its cultural weight and its continued relevance. With further development, the company has the potential to craft an even richer and more provocative theatrical experience.
