Performance collaboration with RECLÉM and Mary Ruppert-Stroescu
Holmes Lounge, Washington University in St. Louis, 2025.

Exchanging Footsteps unfolded as a live multimedia performance combining wearable art, movement, and original soundscapes to explore what it means to find home in unfamiliar places, and how connection can help us heal from grief, separation, and trauma. The piece was created in collaboration with RECLÉM, an environmentally conscious fashion studio founded by Professor Mary Ruppert-Stroescu. 52 wearable pieces were featured in the event, 38 were by artist Bei Qi, 3 were collaboration garments, and 11 created by Professor Ruppert-Stroescu.

Set in the historic Holmes Lounge at Washington University in St. Louis, the audience entered a grand hall where performers froze in place, each in their own emotional world. Chairs lined the hall in a single, long back-to-back row through the center, allowing the audience to be surrounded by the performers.

As soundscapes began to play, performers slowly came to life—first moving within themselves, then gradually noticing others. They formed 7 shifting groups, each exploring the themes of their garments through guided movement motifs. Eventually, these groups dissolved and reformed in a more improvisational exchange, as performers crossed paths, traded gestures, and responded to one another in real time.

The “exchanging of footsteps” symbolized this transformation: where individuality merged into a collective rhythm.

Performed by Ariel Elliott, Nora Havenaar, Keysha Patel, Hannah Elfrink, Hariett Krajcovic, Lana Lewis, Mark Jennings, Judy Li, Lashae Tillis, Will Armstrong, Joshua Ma, Ismail Botchway, Townsend Baird, Alexandra Acevedo, Teagan Takahashi, Andrew McCarthy, Haile Adesina, Maddy Crawford, Alyssa Alvarez, Asher Schwartz, Kade Danger, Riley Merrigan, Anaïs Beauvais, Scarlett Patton, Sarah Govert, Michael Gao, M.J. Brown, Max Spencer, Lizzy Krska, Chloe Macaulay, Fran Miguens, Reilly Dillon, Kavya Patel, Jeme Chavez, Juliana Morera, Lillie Boero, Luke Malmstrom, Leslie McIntosh, Kenzie Mounir, Tavia Liu, Sabrina Urban, Jordan Spector, Tyler Hanson-Mathur, Aaron Miller, Xander Georgoulis, Jeremy Robin, Zoe Brader-Araje, Keren Guo, Darsh Singhania, Tirza Elliot, and Lavina Grzymagilo.

Photographed by Andy Mai and Jess Piard

Makeup artist: Olivia Slemmer, Juliana Morera, Sophie Smelter, and Bei Qi

Show crew: Neil Narayanan, Sophie Smelter, and Natalie Wrum