9th Ballet Festival Korea presents beauty of ballet to Korean audiences
Gwangju City Ballet will perform highlights from "La Sylphide" on June 23-24 at Seoul Arts Center's CJ Towol Theater. Courtesy of BAKI, Gwangju City Ballet
By Anna J. Park
Ballet Festival Korea 2019 will kick off its nearly-two-week program at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, June 18. Marking the ninth installment of the annual festival that began in 2011, this year's program has gathered 13 ballet troupes for 14 performances, providing a good blending between classic and contemporary pieces.
“The program was carefully chosen, considering both popular appeal and artistic significance,” Park In-ja, the festival's organizing committee chairwoman, said during a press conference held earlier this month. “Anyone, from ballet novices to aficionados, can enjoy the festival.”
Leipzig Ballet's Anna Jo, left, will perform at "Special gala with ballet stars" on June 18-19. Courtesy of Ida Zenna
A special gala recital, featuring Korean ballerinas who are currently members of foreign ballet companies, will open this year's festival. The Boston Ballet's Principal Dancers Han Seo-hye and Chae Ji-young, the Leipzig Ballet's Anna Jo, Tanztheater Erfurt Company's Luma Lee, and Astana Ballet's leading soloist Tatiyana Ten, among others, will perform for two days on June 18 and 19 at CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center.
Korean National Ballet's "Giselle" will be performed on June 22-23. Courtesy of Korean National Ballet
The Korea National Ballet will also celebrate the opening of the festival, by presenting “Mata Hari” and “Giselle” on the evenings of June 18 and 19, at the Opera Theater in the Seoul Arts Center.
More key performances take place for two days, June 23 and 24, bringing three ballet troupes ― the Wise Ballet Theater, the Boston Ballet and the Gwangju City Ballet ― together on stage. The first part of the performance will be comprised of the Wise Ballet and the Boston Ballet's pieces, while the second act will feature the Gwangju City Ballet.
Wise Ballet Theater presents “Intermezzo,” choreographed by Joo Jae-man. Courtesy of Wise Ballet Theater
The Wise Ballet company will present an original contemporary work “Intermezzo,” which was premiered last year. The work was choreographed by the award-winning Joo Jae-man, ballet master and resident choreographer with the Complexions Contemporary Ballet in the U.S. He also served as the Complexions' associate artistic director for eight years until last year.
The Boston Ballet will showcase scenes from “Pas/Parts,” which was premiered by the Paris Opera Ballet in 1999. Choreographed by renowned dancer and choreographer William Forsythe, eight dancers of the ballet company, including Han Seo-hye, Chae Ji-young, Patrick Yocum and John Lam, will show the essence of the work for Korean audiences with contrasting movements in distinct scenes.
The Gwangju City Ballet will perform highlights from “La Sylphide,” one of the oldest classical ballets still performed regularly. The original work dates back to 1832, yet the Bolshoi Ballet's Bae Joo-yoon and Andrei Bolotin have readjusted the piece to the tastes of 21st century audiences, strengthening the classic ballet's technicalities.
“Imperfectly Perfect,” choreographed by Hue Young-soon will be world-premiered during the 9th Ballet Festival Korea on June 29-30. Courtesy of Universal Ballet
The Universal Ballet's world premiere of “Imperfectly Perfect,” choreographed by Korean-German choreographer Hue Young-soon, is another performance that ballet lovers shouldn't miss during the festival. Performed on two days on the last weekend of the month, the contemporary piece will be a collaboration between dancers from Europe and America and members of the Korean ballet company. Won Jin-young, Saul Vega Mendoza and Marioenrico D'Angelo will join Universal Ballet principal dancers Kang Mi-sun and Konstantin Novoselov in the original piece.
Universal Ballet will perform "Minus7" on June 29-30 at Seoul Arts Center's CJ Towol Theater. Courtesy of Lee Min-ok, Universal Ballet
Along with “Imperfectly Perfect,” the Universal Ballet's signature contemporary work “Minus7” will also be showcased. Internationally acclaimed dance director and choreographer Ohad Naharin created the program for the ballet, featuring highlights from his other pieces, “Anapaza,” “Mabul” and “Zachacha.” Two Universal Ballet pieces, slated for June 29 and 30, will close the two-week festival.
Besides these main events, six ballet dance troupes will showcase original pieces by up-and-coming choreographers at the Jayu Theater in Seoul Arts Center. A free outdoor performance is also in store at 7 p.m. on June 22 on the outdoor stage in the middle of Seoul Arts Center, featuring diverse amateur and student ballet troupes. Master classes by star ballet dancers, and lectures are also scheduled to be held on the sidelines of the festival.
Dark Circles Contemporary Dance will present “Into the Silence” at Jayu Theater, Seoul Arts Center on June 20-21. Courtesy of Sanghoon Ok
With the aim of expand ballet audiences here, the festival boasts specially priced seats, which cost only 10,000 won to 15,000 won (around $10 to $15). Other regular admission tickets for the festival are also reasonably priced. Visit
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Free outdoor performance is in store at 7 pm on June 22 on the outdoor stage, Seoul Arts Center. Courtesy of Seoul Arts Center