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| A scene from "Ballenas, Historias de Gigantes" / Courtesy of by Pedro Arnay |
By Yun Suh-young
The Seoul International Dance Festival will hold its 19th edition from Sept. 24 to Oct. 15.
The festival, part of UNESCO's International Dance Council (CID), will be held at the CJ Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center, the Grand Theater and Small Theater of Sogang University's Mary Hall and the outdoor stage of D-Cube Park in D-Cube City, Sindorim, southwestern Seoul.
This year, the festival specially focuses on France and Spain, as this year marks the Year of Korea-France bilateral exchanges in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties. As for the Spain section, it had long been a request of the country to participate in the festival.
For the special programs offered as part of the France Focus, a variety of contemporary French dances will give audiences a glimpse of the trends in the contemporary dance scene. They can enjoy "Nouvelle Danse," which shifted the center of contemporary dance from the U.S. to France, and other French contemporary works.
The festival kicks off with Ballet Preljocaj, a company known for its exceptional performances and sensual energy, performing "Gala Preljocaj." Then the Carolyn Carlson Company, renowned in the field of Nouvelle Danse, will follow with "Short Stories." In "Black over Red (My Dialogue with Rothko)," Carolyn Carlson herself will perform to express the poetic movements inspired by the paintings of Mark Rothko. Carolyn Carlson is the oldest active contemporary dancer in the world.
Other performances include "Anatomia Publica" by Tomeo Verges, expressing the anatomical exploration of human movement, and "(M)IMOSA, Twenty Looks or Paris Is Burning at The Judson Church (M)" by four young dancers ― Cecilia Bengolea, François Chaignaud, Trajal Harrell, and Marlene Monteiro Freitas.
Cie Yann Lheureux, who integrates hip-hop with contemporary dance, collaborated with dancers from the Korea National University of Arts in "Red Circle."
Diverse contemporary dances from five regions in Spain also await audiences. Thomas Noone Dance from Barcelona presents "Medea," an intense physical piece reinterpreting the Tragedy of Euripides.
Free performances will be available at outdoor stages in D-Cube City's park such as "Sorbatza," a new interpretation of traditional Basque dance, and "Gelajauziak" by Kukai Dantza. Marco Vargas and Chloe Brule perform "Por Casualidad" (By Chance), which is a mix of flamenco and contemporary dance based on Sevilla, while Baal Dansa from Mallorca presents "Travelling."
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| Marco Vargas and Chloe Brule perform "Por Casualidad" (By Chance) / Courtesy of Jose Torres |
There are also performances for children. Larumbe Danza from Madrid, Pendulo Cero, and SNEO Mestizaje Projects presents "Ballenas, Historias de Gigantes," a collaboration of 3D animation and contemporary dance which is based on a fairy tale about a whale. "Sugungga," or the tale of a rabbit, is another performance for children based on a Korean fairy tale. It is a collaboration of Korean pansori and Swiss yodeling performed by "Cie Nuna." Cho Young-soon, a contemporary dance choreographer based in Switzerland, performs for the first time in Korea since her departure in "Sugungga." Cho will also perform solo in "Tac. Tac."
There are other Korean artists to take note of such as Lee Eun-yeong who established Compagnie Komusin which integrates the cultures of East and the West through dance.
An interesting program to take note of is "Who's Next" which is a platform for collaboration between international and Korean artists. Initially began as a collaborative project between Korea, China and Japan, this year it grouped together artists from South America, Africa and Korea for a vibrant dance exchange.
Dance programs will also be available to the public. There will be dance workshops for both professional dancers and actors, as well as for nonprofessionals. Talk sessions with artists and face painting programs for children are also offered.
Tickets range from 20,000 won to 50,000 won and there are discounts for package purchases ― 30 percent for three to four performances, 45 percent for five to seven and 50 percent for eight or more. Visit sidance.org, sacticket.co.kr and interpark.com for ticket reservations.
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