Ha! When I watched Mao's Madame Butterfly (although introspection was not the word I used), I thought it's the most impressionist program I've seen. :
Yes! Impressionist would be the adjective I’d choose to describe many of her programs. The Chopin/Debussy music choices plus the soft, pastel colors of her costumes also enhanced that impression.
If one were to use an adjective to describe Mao’s main form of expression, it would be balletic. Her first love was ballet and she never really gave it up, as she incorporated the style and movements into her skating.