Weekender Pushing limits of visceral expression

Contemporary dance takes center stage this month

By Lee Hyo-won

Some consider modern dance to be an acquired taste — experimental pieces in particular easily invite confounded glances as they push the boundaries of space and sometimes even time. (Think of Parsons Dance Company’s gravity-defying piece, “Caught,” in which the soloist performs more than 100 leaps in less than six minutes).

These performances often are non-narrative, non-musical or filled with disjointed body movements that can hardly be considered dance (or at least one’s idea of what dance is). The body sometimes contorts in ways that are uncomfortable to watch, and one may feel at a loss when the boundary between performer and audience disappears without a trace.

Yet dance is a very visceral form of human expression, which, like any other form of art, evokes a wide range of emotions.

The beauty of contemporary performances is that they leave much room for interpretation. Viewers can no longer sit back and passively take in the happenings onstage.

So get ready to switch off your prejudices and turn on your insight, as an influx of modern dance performances will hit local stages this month.

MODAFE offers provocative ideas

The 30th International Modern Dance Festival (MODAFE), the country’s foremost showcase of the genre, will be held from May 18 to 29 at various venues around Daehangno.

The festival is the oldest event dedicated to any form of dance here, and this year’s edition explores “Beauty Beyond Body” — the relationship between inner, spiritual beauty with the bodily language of dance.

A total of 24 pieces from seven countries — include a handful of R-rated works — are lined up for the event.

Australian contemporary dance troupe Chunky Move will open MODAFE on May 19 at Arko Arts Theater. The company, led by artistic director Gideon Obarzanek, is renowned for its creative use of new media and installation art. It will present its latest piece, “Connected” for the occasion.

Also traveling from overseas is Kasai Mitsutake with “Last Man.” The Japanese artist will depict the timeless theme of life and death, and how the passage of time affects the body.

Meanwhile Ivgi & Greben from the Netherlands (May 21 and 23, Arko Arts Theater) will objectify the body in a piece that’s appropriately titled “Object.” The duo will perform an extended version of the acclaimed work, which was originally presented as a 10-minute piece at the 2010 Amsterdam Dance Festival.

Swiss troupe Alias will stage “Sideways Rain” (May 22, Daehangno Arts Theater), in which 14 dancers depict human vices such as lust, greed and violence through a repetition of dynamic movements.

Philipp Egli, also from Switzerland, will bring “Exit as Issue,” which looks at the relationship between music, dance and videos. The artist will also present “Patterns on Impressions,” a co-production with Korea’s Shin Chang-ho.

Fans can look forward to seeing something that more or less has a recognizable storyline. The Suzanne Dellal Centre from Israel will present “Rooster,” which draws inspiration from I.L. Peretz’s “Bontscha the Silent,” Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” the Bible and Yemen folktales (May 25, Arko Arts Theater).

Also not to be missed is “Parades & Changes, Replay in Expansion,” a reinterpretation of Anna Halprin’s controversial piece by French choreographer Anne Collod.

Children and teens under 19 will not be admitted to “Object,” “Sideways Rain” and “Parades,” which feature nudity. In particular, the original version of “Parades” by Halprin was banned in the United States during the 1960s.

Sideline events include a street performance that will invite passersby to admire the art of dance at Apgujeong-dong’s Rodeo Drive, at 3 p.m., May 21. The event is part of a campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and children.

Participants can also take part in Q&A sessions with choreographers, workshops and seminars.

For more information, visit www.modafe.org.

Young dancers unite

Watching internationally acclaimed works by accomplished artists is always inspiring, but fans can discover new impulses at a showcase for up-and-coming talent.

Tam Dance Company will host performances by young dancers and choreographers at Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, on May 18 and 19.

Since 1980 the company has created original works that incorporate various ideological themes and phenomena. In 2006 the troupe launched the Young Dancer-Young Choreographer program to provide a platform for emerging new artists.

This year’s program features four works by four female choreographers.

Shin Young-lem will portray the restlessness that people feel, as they strive for clear-cut, mathematical answers in life. Shin Yun-kyung will explore repetitive patterns that define our everyday lives while Eo Soo-jeong will try to measure the distance that exists between individuals. Last but not least, Chi Yun-young will depict different forms of light that brighten up quotidian spaces, from neon signs and street lamps.

For more information, call (02) 3277-2584.