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| "Almond" (2019) choreographed by Kim Na-yeon Courtesy of BAKi |
By Park Ji-won
The Korean National Ballet (KNB) will present its original modern ballet works to audiences in August, the first such performances since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
The KNB said the "History of KNB Movement Series" will be held at the Seoul Arts Center on Aug. 1-2 and will present seven works by its members.
In the program, "Amadeus Concerto," choreographed by Song Jung-bin; "Go Your Own Way" by Shin Seung-won; "Almond" by Kim Na-yeon and "Season: Spring" by Lee Young-chul, which were created in 2019, will be presented in front of audiences. Other works include "Quartet of the Soul" (2016) by Park Seul-ki; "Crow's Eye View" (2015) by Park Na-ri and "Into the Pulse" (2015) by Kang Hyo-hyung.
Kang's "Into the Pulse," her first work as a professional choreographer, was invited to be part of the Stuttgart Ballet's "Next Generation" program in 2015 and nominated for the 2017 Benois de la Danse, one of the world's most prestigious ballet awards.
Shin's "Season: Spring" was inspired by the image of a long trail covered with fallen cherry blossom petals. Ju Bo-ra, a singer-songwriter and gayageum (Korean 12-string zither) player, will also perform.
The KNB has been holding performances without live audiences to prevent the spread of the virus. Instead, it has been streaming live performances online. However, as there are signs of a slowdown in COVID-19 infections in the country, government-run facilities, including the Seoul Arts Center and the National Museum of Korea (NMK), reopened on July 22. The ballet theater also resumed its operation.
The "KNB Movement Series," launched in 2015, was established a year after Kang Sue-jin, a former principal dancer at Germany's Stuttgart Ballet, became the KNB's artistic director. The aim of the series is to foster modern ballet choreographers and to create original performances for the company.
The company has held up to 10 shows during the series, presenting 35 works by 19 choreographers.
For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr or call 02-580-1300.
