By Honorary Reporter Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt 

Photos = Choi Soo-jin

Seeing a variety of ballet performances of varying themes on one stage is rare, but an annual event in Korea makes this possible. 

Since 2011, the Ballet Festival Korea has promoted ballet and brought it closer to the audience, while providing equal opportunity for ballet troupes in Korea. The festival this year looked to lift the spirits of people stressed due to COVID-19 through performances from Korea and abroad. 

The 11th edition of the festival was held from June 15-30 at the Seoul Arts Center, featuring a variety of performances ranging from classic to contemporary and experimental ballet.

Twelve works were presented by 16 troupes, several of which I followed through social media. The participants posted updates and video blogs on their pages, and the festival started with the Korean National Ballet Troupe's "The Taming of the Shrew." The closing performance was the contemporary ballet "Register: The Beginning of the Beginning" by choreographer and dancer Choi Soo-jin. I became a fan of her five years ago after seeing her on Arirang's YouTube broadcast and Mnet K-pop's reality TV audition show "Dancing 9." 

Contemporary ballet incorporates elements from classical ballet with modern dance. Choi's work was the most impressive in my opinion not only because I am a fan of hers, but also because her work was the most concentrated on a simple stage. 

The piece had just four dancers including the choreographer Choi. Each dancer exuded a tremendous presence that attracted attention to their movements with the melodies of a violin. The universal themes were myths, chaos, love, separation and freedom with motifs from Asian myths about the birth of the universe and humanity.

"The performer, music and visual effects are always part of the dazzling performances. Of course, from the materials to the dancers and crew, I search and combine each piece myself to work every time. And that's the difference. The choreographer is the one who leads the work to the end, while the dancer finally tells the audience the story and brings out the artistic parts of the work with his expressive sense."

Previously the only Korean member of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet in New York, Choi is now working as a dancer and choreographer in Korea. 

On the difference between Korea and New York in contemporary ballet, she said, "Maybe there's not enough environment for young ballet dancers to work with many choreographers long enough in their active periods. I think I learned and grew inside a lot because I could work with several choreographers at Cedar Lake, and in 2010, when the Korean National Contemporary Dance Corp. was founded."

"Recently I was working as a performing dancer only, but later worked seasonally as a performer. What I witnessed was various attempts by the national company to promote contemporary and modern dance."

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.