Yu Yan had been a promising theatre major at Zhong Xi (中央戏剧学院), the biggest and best performing arts school in the country in 2012.

Beijing! The sprawling grey series of concentric concrete urban squares had held great promise for her future career in the arts.

Her area of specialization was traditional opera, but she left the academy in shame after only a year. Her passion for combining hip hop dance and opera masks had scandalized the children of the revolutionary cadre.

Seven years later, in the back streets of Shanghai, she continued to explore the boundaries of her art.

Moving on from the scandalous masked dance moves of 2012, she now focused on something greater, something more personal, more deeply expressive.

Marionette ballet, improvising with the use of laundry lines and found garments. Art brut, with fabric, movement and grace, and a soundtrack by Mariah Carey. Yu Yan loved Mariah Carey. The pink leotard and stretched grey panties on their hangers swayed and shivered to All I Want For Christmas is You.

‘All I want for Christmas,’ Yu Yan whispered, ‘is to be Yu’.