Ballet revives independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun's sacrifice

A scene from ballet "Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven" in 2025 / Courtesy of M Ballet Company

Before Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun was executed in 1910 at Lushun Prison in Dalian, China, he said that when he heard news of Korea’s liberation from heaven, he would dance and cheer. More than a century later, a Seoul ballet company is trying to give him that dance.

M Ballet Company is reviving “Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” in commemoration of Korea’s Independence Movement Day, which falls on March 1. The production honors Ahn by depicting his life and sacrifices through dance, tracing the emotional toll the struggle for independence took on his family.

“It can be tough subject matter for dance, but we’ve restaged this with nonstop action, eliminating any dull moments. It will be an ideal piece for families to enjoy together,” M Ballet Company director Yang Young-eun told The Korea Times during an interview in Seoul on Tuesday.

After opening in the southwestern city of Gwangju earlier this month, the troupe will bring the ballet to Seoul on March 7 and 8, followed by a performance in Daegu on March 12.

Ahn is best known for assassinating Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese resident-general of Korea, at Harbin Railway Station in China in October 1909. He was imprisoned and executed the following year. He was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962.

The ballet "Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven" will feature dancers Park Gwan-woo, right, playing Ahn Jung-geun, and Yeom Da-yeon as Ahn's wife in the Seoul and Daegu shows / Courtesy of M Ballet Company

A peek into production

“Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” opens with a scene depicting Ahn being transferred to Lushun Prison, after which his life unfolds in flashback. A brief prologue featuring his mother leads into his wedding. From there, the ballet covers the upheavals of late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) history, with projected images of a nation in turmoil, the establishment of the Japanese Residency-General and Ahn’s decision to leave for the Russian Far East to join resistance forces.

The resistance brings battle with scenes with muscular physicality. Male corps dancers hurtle down a sliding ramp built into the orchestra pit, underscoring the ferocity of guerrilla warfare. The production closes with Ahn assassinating Ito and being taken to prison, where he is executed.

What makes the production distinctive is its expanded portrayal of Ahn’s wife, Kim A-ryeo. Little is known about her from historical documents, but Yang, who wrote the ballet, said she felt deep sympathy for the wife who lost her husband in the fight to save the nation.

“In most dramas and films about Ahn, the mother is central while the wife is almost invisible. We didn’t want to diminish the mother — she remains very important — but we felt the wife’s sorrow had never really been portrayed. She married young, her husband was rarely at home, she participated in patriotic fundraising efforts and yet she had to suppress her own desire to save him for the sake of the nation. I wanted to honor that pain,” Yang explained.

The final scene was the most challenging to stage. Rather than portraying his death directly, the ballet shows Ahn spending a moment alone, sharing a brief duet with his mother, followed by another duet with his wife, before returning to solitude. Finally, his mother helps him dress in his burial shroud and exits, leaving him to conclude the performance alone.

How it came together

Yang Young-eun, director of M Ballet Company

Premiering in 2015, “Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” was the inaugural production of M Ballet Company. The troupe’s founder, Moon Byung-nam, who passed away last year, choreographed the piece.

Creating ballets about modern Korean historical events and figures was the troupe’s mission from the beginning. For this production, the biggest inspiration was Ahn’s final wish.

“The most important motif for us was his last desire. We wanted to offer him a dance in heaven — to imagine him looking down on a free Korea and finally dancing.”

Ahn’s intellectual and martial qualities also made him a natural subject for the production. “During my research, I discovered he had a lot to show through dance,” Yang said.

Over the years since its premiere, the company has refined the production. The most significant revision came in 2021, when it collaborated with Seoul Arts Center.

“We made several changes to the script at that time, adding more scenes, such as a reception for Ito Hirobumi after he arrives in Seoul as resident-general,” Yang said.

A scene from the ballet "Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven" in 2025 / Courtesy of M Ballet Company

What’s new this year

This year’s staging features the largest cast yet, with two new principals joining the production. Park Gwan-woo takes the role of Ahn, while Yeom Da-yeon — who won the Second Scholarship and Audience Favorite award at the Prix de Lausanne earlier this month — will perform the role of Ahn’s wife, Kim, in Seoul and Daegu.

“They bring a fresh Ahn Jung-geun and a new interpretation of his wife to the stage, alongside veteran cast members who have been with us since the early years,” Yang said.

Yeom described her approach to the role as one of quiet restraint.

“Rather than portraying her in a flashy way, I am trying to express her as a person with a calm, steadfast heart. Reflecting on the circumstances of the era helps guide my performance,” she said.

Yang was equally enthusiastic about the 17-year-old dancer, who is is set to train with one of Europe’s leading ballet companies as part of her Lausanne prize.

“Despite her age, her dance is very mature. Also, she has a great attitude. That’s why I wanted to cast her for Ahn’s wife,” Yang said.

Yeom Da-yeon, winner of the Audience Favorite award and the Second Scholarship, performs her classical variation during the final of the 54th Prix de Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland, Feb. 7. EPA-Yonhap

The late Moon’s influence also remains evident in both the dancers’ movements and the fact that the piece has continued to be staged.

“His greatest wish was that his works would survive and keep being performed, growing into even better versions over time. He entrusted that to me, and I promised I would keep upgrading the work no matter how hard it gets,” Yang said.

With the current run underway, the company has its sights set beyond Korea.

“This ballet is like a child we raised. It has gone through hardship, criticism and revision, but now it is our signature work. We want to bring it overseas,” Yang said, adding that the company hopes to reach international audiences starting next year.