Seoul dance troupe takes Mimesis to Washington

A Korean dance performance built from eight traditional forms is crossing the Pacific for the first time, bringing Seoul’s contemporary take on its dance heritage to Washington as the United States marks its 250th anniversary.

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre will perform “Mimesis” Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. at Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., in a special performance hosted by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. and the Embassy of Korea.

The troupe will return Sept. 29 for a roughly 15-minute excerpt at the National Portrait Gallery during a Korean national holiday celebration hosted by the Embassy of Korea.

“Mimesis,” which premiered at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in 2025, reimagines eight traditional dances, including Gyobangmu, Hanryangmu, Sogochum, Janggum, Salpuri, Seungmu, shamanic dance and Taepyeongmu.

Artistic director and choreographer Yoon Hye-jung has shaped the work around the movement of nature, connecting each dance with elements including water, wind, earth, lightning, sky, fire and light.

The production sold out all performances two weeks before opening and is now making its international debut in Washington.

Yoon, a former principal dancer with the National Dance Company of Korea, has pursued both the preservation of traditional dance and contemporary creation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre, founded in 1974, has represented Korea at major international events and toured extensively in Europe, the United States, South America and Northern Europe.

Its “Ilmu” recently won an award from the New York Dance and Performance Awards, known as the Bessies, further raising the company’s international profile.

The Washington performances extend that momentum, with “Mimesis” scheduled to continue its domestic and international run through October and November.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.