Stuttgart Ballet's Kang Sue-jin to release autobiography
Prima ballerina Kang Sue-jin’s autobiography will be released on Jan. 23. / Courtesy of The PR
By Do Je-hae
Kang Sue-jin, a prima ballerina of Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet, will release her first autobiography this month.
“Passionate Heart Takes a Long Breath” is the story of how a young girl from Korea moved to Monaco by herself at age 13 for ballet training and eventually became a star at one of the most prestigious ballet companies in Europe. It will be released on Jan. 23.
As a ballerina, she is mostly known for dramatic roles like Tatiana in “Onegin.” Over the years, she has become an icon of perseverance and hard work. This book will be an intriguing read for ballet fans and youngsters in need of a role model.
The 45-year-old has been based in Stuttgart since the late 1980s, but is widely admired in Korea as a pioneering dancer. She will be arriving in Korea on Jan. 22 and staying here for two weeks to promote her autobiography, according to The PR, her domestic press representative.
A photography book by Kang was published in 2004, but this is the first time she is sharing her life story in her own words.
She entered the company at age 19, becoming the youngest member in the history of the Stuttgart Ballet and the first Asian to join. But she had to wait a long time for a chance to dance lead roles. Today, she is one of the few prima ballerinas in the world over the age of 40.
The secret to her longevity, she says, is passion.
“Only those who remain passionate about their profession are able to sustain a long career. Talent is one thing, but it’s passion that makes a difference,” reads an excerpt from the autobiography.
Kang is now one of eight female principals at the major European company, particularly renowned for the legacy of legendary choreographer John Cranko (1927-1973).
Kang was also the first Asian laureate of the Prix de Lausanne. Among her many honors and achievements she was named “Kammertanzerin” or chamber dancer, the highest recognition the German government bestows on an artist. She was the first Asian to receive the appointment.
Reid Anderson, artistic director of the Stuttgart Ballet, credited Kang’s extraordinary success to “good training, work ethic and iron discipline.”
“She is a natural stage personality, instinctive and endearing. She can capture the audiences’ imagination and is absolutely captivating,” Anderson said in previous interview with The Korea Times. A former dancer with the company, Anderson has served as artistic director since 1995 and promoted Kang to principal dancer in 1997.
Kang’s interpretation of the tragic role of Marguerite Gautier, a Parisian courtesan in 19th century, in “The Lady of the Camellias” earned her the prestigious Prix Benois de la Danse in 1999.
Kang is an inspiration to young Korean ballerinas and dancers like Seo Hee and Kim Ki-min have followed in her footsteps by taking top prizes at international competitions and joining iconic companies like the American Ballet Theatre or the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.