'The Taming of the Shrew' to undergo revision after criticism of being disablist

A scene from “The Taming of the Shrew” by the Korean National Ballet / Courtesy of Ballet Festival Korea

By Park Ji-won

Poster for “11th Ballet Festival Korea” / Courtesy of Ballet Festival Korea

The revised version of the ballet, “The Taming of the Shrew,” which was originally choreographed by John Cranco based on Shakespeare's work of the same title, will be presented during the 11th Ballet Festival Korea, which will be held at the Seoul Arts Center from June 15 to 30, after facing a backlash from audiences that it is disablist or prejudiced against people with disabilities.

“We reported the controversy to the John Cranko foundation, which owns the copyright for the choreography of 'The Taming of the Shrew.' The foundation took it into consideration and changed the choreography that may be disparaging to the disabled. The Korean National Ballet is currently practicing the revised choreography,” an official of the Korean National Ballet said during a press conference held to promote the festival at the Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday.

The remarks came after a complaint, claiming that the choreography downplays the disabled in some scenes, was submitted to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. It claimed that some scenes where the servants of Petruchio, husband of Katherina, mimic the movements of a physically disabled person while bullying her during the show are problematic.

The work was choreographed by John Cranko for the Stuttgart Ballet where Kang Sue-jin, artistic director of the Korean National Ballet, served as principal dancer for decades until her retirement in 2016. The Korean National Ballet has been performing “The Taming of the Shrew” as part of its repertoire since 2015, when Kang was appointed as its artistic director.

Park In-ja, artistic director of the Ballet Festival Korea, speaks during a press conference at the Seoul Arts Center, Tuesday. Yonhap

Meanwhile, the festival will be presenting 12 shows by 11 participating ballet dance companies or 400 dancers on the theme of “Blended experiences and emotions” amid the pandemic.

It will feature various social issues ranging from the death of many students in the Sewol ferry disaster to the realities facing the so-called MZ generation or those born between 1981 and 2012.

“We focused on expressing various social issues in a dance form. Ballet movements can tell a story without words on various subjects, such as coronavirus, environmental problems, the death of the children in the Sewol ferry disaster,” Park In-ja, artistic director of the festival said.

Starting with “The Taming of the Shrew” by the Korean National Ballet, Universal Ballet will perform the first set of the triple bill, while the Gwangju City Ballet and Wise Ballet Theater will perform the third acts from “Raymonda” and “Utopia,” respectively. A stage associated with “The Korea World Dance Stars Festival” will present to audiences world-class performances by seven Korean dancers from overseas ballet theaters. On the sideline of the event, an exhibition of ballet sculpture will be on display and a session of talking to dancers will be held at the art center.