 Ballerina Kang Sue-jin / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
Staff Reporter
Seoul this year has seen many internationally acclaimed dancers and troupes hold performances, but they have tended to be restricted to the major cities.
To bridge this gap, renowned ballerina Kang Sue-jin gathered her friends for the tour ``Kang Sue-jin and Friends'' and performed in Ansan, Incheon, Geoje, Daegu, Gimhae, Pohang and Uijeongbu last month.
``Somebody has to start passing on culture to other provinces. Usually, people come all the way to Seoul to watch me perform. It was meaningful that it was the other way around this time: me visiting them,'' Kang said in an interview with The Korea Times.
The youngest ballerina to join Germany's prestigious Stuttgart Ballet in 1986, she won a host of major awards including the Prix de Lausanne and Prix Benois de la Danse. She was also the first Asian honored as a Kammertanzerin, or chamber dancer, by the German government.
Kang made headlines with her outstanding performances, but it was a single photo of her practice-worn feet that caught the attention of fans and fellow dancers.
A strong believer of arduous training, she once used up four toeshoes in one day. Normally, a toeshoe lasts for two weeks. The costume manager told her to slow down in using the shoes.
``We practice for perfection. One day we can be in great condition but another day we can feel miserable. Ballet is not just about the ballerina, but the staff, setting, orchestra and fellow dancers. All of these aspects have to work completely together to bring out an almost perfect performance, but even this isn't easy,'' Kang said.
Kang has danced for more than 20 years, always putting intense love and passion into the art.
``Not many people still dance in their 40s. Even I didn't think I'd be dancing for such a long time. It's strange, the more I dance, the more I fall in love with it. When I was young, I just liked ballet. But now I can feel my whole body, my muscles and even my cells responding to it,'' she said laughing.
Many ballerinas retire in their mid-thirties. Some leave ballet completely, but most return as instructors, choreographers or art directors. Kang acknowledged that she knows she will eventually have to choose another role in her craft.
``There are so many doors open to me, but I will decide on a job to which I can give my 100-percent interest and dedication. But for now, I'm not thinking about it. Today is what's important,'' she said.
The world is also starting to realize the great talent Korean dancers hold, Kang said.
``I see a very bright future. Korean ballerinas are no longer too short in height to perform on international stages. Some even have better technique than foreign dancers, but the problem is artistic expression. Our young students need to open their minds a little bit more and be confident in expressing themselves,'' she said.
``There's no answer to art. I feel lucky to be still able to stand on stage and do what I love. For me, ballet is my life. I know what it feels like to perform, but every time I dance, it's like chocolate. No, it's sweeter than chocolate.''
sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr
