ABT Studio Company's Korean ballet dancers headline Seoul performances
From left, ABT Studio Company dancer Park Geon-hee, Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky, and dancers Park Soo-ha and Park Youn-jae pose during a press conference in Seoul, April 16. / Courtesy of Mapo Cultural Foundation and Art & Artist
The American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Studio Company will present a gala performance in Seoul, April 17-18.
Based in New York, the company has produced about 85 percent of the dancers in the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Korean dancers Park Soo-ha, Park Geon-hee and Park Youn-jae are set to star in the performances at Mapo Arts Center.
At a press conference held April 16, ABT Studio Company Artistic Director Sascha Radetsky praised the strength of Korean dancers.
A Korean community has been developing within ABT since principal Seo Hee joined the top U.S. ballet company in 2005. She became a principal dancer in 2012, a rise that inspired budding Korean dancers to follow in her footsteps, resulting in the increasing prominence of Koreans in ballet capitals and major competitions around the world.
Park Geon-hee, who won the Grand Prix at the Youth America Grand Prix while studying at Korea National University of Arts, joined ABT Studio Compnay in September 2025. Park Youn-jae, who became the first Korean male dancer to win the Prix de Lausanne last year, also joined the company last September.
“Although I’ve had several opportunities to perform in Korea since joining ABT Studio Company, this is the first gala performance as an ABT Studio Company member. I do feel some pressure to do well, but I feel happy at the same time," Park Yoon-jae said.
Park Soo-ha, who graduated from Sunhwa Arts Middle and High School, has been dancing for ABT Studio Company since September 2024. During the press conference, Radetsky announced that Park Soo-ha will be promoted to an ABT apprentice starting at the end of May.
The dancers praised the company's training experience, saying it has helped them grow into versatile, intellectually grounded artists rather than focusing just on ballet.
“Discussions on topics chosen from literature, science and history serve as valuable nourishment that allows us to fully enjoy our artistic freedom," Park Soo-ha said.
Park Geon-hee compared the training atmosphere in the U.S. and Korea. “I’m grateful for having built a strong foundation in Korea, but at times it felt like dancers were being produced in factories. I hope that Korean training can offer more opportunities for real stage experience, rather than focusing solely on practice."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.