Liou next set out on a new stage of experimentation, "theme and variation," in which he explored the vocabulary of pure body movement. Yet he still felt that something was missing, and asked himself the question: "If all plot and emotion are removed, what remains?"
於是他開始第二階段的實驗「主題與變奏」，探索純粹的肢體語彙，然而還是若有所失，如果一切情節、情緒都拿掉，最後又會剩下什麼？