Kang Sue-jin to dance swansong in Korea

Kang Sue-jin, right, and Stuttgart Ballet’s artistic director Reid Anderson converse during a press conference at the Seoul Arts Center, Wednesday. /Yonhap

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kang Sue-jin, one of the most acclaimed Korean dancers, will stage a farewell performance in Korea from Friday to Sunday. She will dance for the last time in Korea as Tatiana in "Onegin," choreographed by John Cranko.

Kang is a principal dancer of the Stuttgart Ballet, known for her dramatic portrayal of characters and impeccable technique. She was appointed as the artistic director of the Korea National Ballet (KNB) in February 2014 and breathed fresh life into the Korea's top ballet company, expanding its repertoire to include more contemporary works.

"Dancing Tatiana in her farewell performance is a great honor as a dancer. I first danced Onegin in 1996 and fell in love with the piece immediately," Kang said at a press conference Wednesday.

This is going to be her last appearance as a dancer in her home country; although she remained open to the possibility of participating in gala performances later.

"I hadn't thought about my retirement until I took the KNB director post. However, I always wanted to quit before it was too late. I have the greatest respect for my performance, ballet and the audience and presenting the best is my way of expressing that," the 48-year-old dancer said.

Kang repeated the word "gratitude" numerous times during the press event, thanking the audience for loving her performances. She also mentioned how the director job changed her life.

"It was a new adventure for me. I was a long way from anything administrative, but people can learn. Being a director of KNB is the top priority for me and I personally rehearsed before and after office hours," Kang said. "At first, I considered dancing for the KNB, but I realized how talented young Korean dancers are and didn't want to take away opportunities from them. This Onegin was scheduled in advance with the Stuttgart Ballet.”

While recognizing the dramatic significance of her final performance, Kang considers it as a new start as well as an end to her dancing career. "I will retire as a dancer, but I will still be working as the KNB director the next day. I found this new happiness of working with young dancers and seeing them grow," she said.

The Stuttgart Ballet's Canadian principal Jason Reilly will dance the titular role opposite Kang. "I am honored to dance Onegin with Sue-jin and looking forward to every minute on stage," Reilly said.

Reid Anderson, the Stuttgart Ballet’s artistic director, said Kang is a very special dancer to work with.

"There are special people who have it. You can't learn it, but just have it. They shine more than other people and Sue-jin has that kind of thing," Anderson said. "When she walks on to the stage, you immediately know that somebody special came into your life. She grabs the imagination and changes abstract ballet into something understandable."

After the Korean stint, she will take her final bow as a ballet dancer next July in Stuttgart, celebrating Anderson's 20th anniversary at the ballet troupe. Kang worked with Anderson since he became the artistic director of the renowned Germany ballet company.

Anderson said running a ballet company is always about what he can do for the dancers, not what the dancers can do for him and expressed gratitude for the prima ballerina.

"Dancers might leave me, but they never leave me as they always take Stuttgart with them. Sue-jin and I are inseparable in our hearts," Anderson said.

The Stuttgart artistic director also emphasized Kang’s pioneering role as an Asian dancer in the world of ballet.

"Korean dancers are well-thought-of and valued in the West. I taught the Cranko ballets around the world for decades and seen many stunning Korean dancers. Koreans should be proud of them," Anderson said. "I know I'm prejudiced, but Sue-jin is the best, the cream of the cream among them. She is the beginning of what happened to Korean ballet dancers and paved the way."

The Stuttgart Ballet's "Onegin," starring Kang, will be staged at the Opera House of Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. For more information, visit www.clubbalcony.com or call 1577-5266.