Choreographer and writer Lin Hwai-min’s new work takes inspiration from the legendary words of the Portuguese sailors in the 16th century, as they spotted the verdant land that would one day be known as Taiwan: “Formosa!” (“Beautiful!”)

With music by award-winning Taiwanese indigenous singer Sangpuy, projection designs made up of Chinese characters, and the words of Taiwanese poetry, the lines between tribal rituals and the bustle of the city begin to blur. Using gesture, script, music and other elements of the island, Lin explores how writing has a power to distort memories and erase history.

In what will be Lin’s last creation for the company as artistic director, this love letter to Taiwan is deeply personal, poetic and full of his signature style: intense, meditative tai chi set against explosive jumps and stomps