The Commencement of Korea’s Contemporary Ballet keeping in tune with the Times
Ryu Hoi-Woong
2024 Season Choreographer
Pre-Inaugural Performance <The Rite of Spring> NO MORE
Ahn Sung-soo is a notable choreographer in domestic and international stages, who steadily showcases works with sophisticated and classy choreography and logical analysis of movements based on his superb musical sensibility. He has served as the third artistic director of the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, and now is an artistic director of Sungsoo Ahn Pick up Group and a professor at School of Dance, the Korea National University of Arts.
Pre-Inaugural Performance <The Rite of Spring> NO MORE
Choreographer Ryu Hoi-woong has been working on dealing with various issues in modern society with his own witty eyes by expanding his own choreography world in various performing arts fields.
He currently teaches at the Korea National University of Arts and Kyunghee University, and is active in various fields as an artistic director of RHW(RYUHOIWOONG) Liberty Hall.
Choreographer Lee Luda steadily works towards popular appeal, expanding her arena of art through collaboration with many different fields and online contents development. Currently she is working as an artistic director of Black Toe.
Choreographer Joo Jae-man served as associate artistic director of the New York Complexions Contemporary Ballet and is currently working as a full-time choreographer and artist, and a professor of ballet at Point Park University, cultivating the next generation. He has choreographed at the Complexions Ballet, Jacob’s Pillow, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater ii, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, and has met Korean audiences with renowned works in (2018), (2021) and (2023).
He won the Best Artist Award at the Bagnolet International Dance Festival in France (1996), the Princess Grace Foundation-USA Choreographer Award (2009), and the Korean Association of Dance Critics and Researchers' Best Work Award (2021). He also was awarded a grand prize at the E-Daily-Korean Culture Award for the first time as dance arts world in 2021, and recently won the 30th Dance Arts Award for Best Work.
Kim So-hye was an active member of the Peridance Contemporary Dance Company in the U.S. (2016-2021) and has traveled around the world from New York to Germany, Italy, and other countries. In Korea, she has met audiences on the stages through the Korean Ballet Festival and the Seoul Dance Festival. She’s been engaged in her creative activities in the Art Project GRIMM, and also showed Floats at the National Museum of Korea, which she co-choreographed with members. In 2024, as a season dancer of the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, she will surely deliver the enchanting charisma of the contemporary ballet that is free from all the constraints.
Kim Hee-hyun was a soloist of the Korea National Ballet Company (2009-2022), actively interacting with the audiences through a wide spectrum of stages ranging from classical ballet to creative ballet such as Giselle, Spartacus, The Taming of the Shrew, and Heo Nanseolheon. Outside the stage, she introduced herself to viewers through broadcasting programs. Based on impeccable techniques and abundant stage experiences, she will broaden her arena with brand-new movements in the contemporary ballet field.
Even though as a college student, Nam Yun-seung has been singled out as a season dancer of the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, demonstrating superb latent competence in the audition. Nam was a member of the Korea Youth Ballet Stars (2019-2020), and performed on various creative ballet stages such as the Korea Ballet Festival, K-Ballet Repertory, and others. He will show, in all his fullness, his love for the genre and many different attraction on the stage of the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet in 2024.
Park Hyo-sun was an active member of the Korea National Ballet Company (2014-2019) and the Universal Ballet (2012-2014), fully taking in a wide range of repertoires. In 2023, Park performed at a creative ballet company named RYUHOIWOONG Liberty Hall, interacting with the audience in major works of the company, such as Life of Ballerino, Curtain Call, etc. Given her long and deep breath on wide range of stages so far, we are looking forward to her performance at the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet in 2024.
Won Jin-ho was a principal dancer of the Orlando Ballet in the U.S. (2013-2020), and also worked as a member of the American Ballet Theater 2 (2009-2010). Since then, Won has met with domestic audiences through various repertoires such as VITA with the Wise Ballet Company and Clara Schumann with the Seoul Ballet Theater. As an operator of a YouTube channel under the name Wonderina, she has been conveying the fascinating charm of ballet. Based on her uninhibited expressiveness and splendid techniques, we are looking forward to her performance at the Seoul Metropolitan Ballet in 2024 to convey the charm of contemporary ballet.
Pre-Inaugural Performance of Seoul Metropolitan Ballet <The Rite of Spring> ROSE, NO MORE, Bolero 24
April 26(Fri.) ~ April 28(Sun.) Sejong M TheaterInaugural Performance of Seoul Metropolitan Ballet <A Midsummer Night's Dream>
August 23 (Fri.) ~ August 25(Sun.) Sejong Grand TheaterOctober Performance of Seoul Metropolitan Ballet
October 9 (Wed.) ~ October 12 (Sat.) Sejong M TheaterAudition Sketch of Seoul Metropolitan Ballet
Interview with Dancers
Photo Shoot by the First Look
Interview with the choreographer of the inaugural performance