Contemporary Dance: Vanguard of the New Hallyu Wave
As an art-enthusiast in social lockdown, Youtube has become my favorite place to catch up with performances and recordings from artists around the world. I was overjoyed to discover the “STEP UP” Dance on Air project of the Korean National Institute of Contemporary Dance (KNCDC) on Youtube. Although Korea’s theater doors remain shut due to social lockdown measures, KNCDC delivered the production online over 10th, 11th and 12th July.
Established in 2010, Korea National Contemporary Dance Company (KNCDC) proudly stands as Korea’s only national contemporary dance company. KNCDC’s productions reflect the dynamism, diversity and creativity of its artists in bringing stories of history, society and daily lives to the stage. Even its company logo is inspired by the fluid motion in contemporary dance. KNCDC aims to be a bridge between performers and audiences to present contemporary dance as an art genre that can be appreciated by audiences across all ages and from different regions.
The “STEP UP” Dance on Air project marks its 3rd year as KNCDC celebrates the 10th anniversary since its founding. The project showcases a range of contemporary dance met with diverse perspectives and various forms to develop sustainable dance repertoires. The project explicitly explores the relations between the human body and the environment. Each performance brings to the stage their creators’ individual perspectives and experiences based on their lives and the lives of others.
The first performance 검정감각 Sense of Black 360 choreographed by Hwang Soohyun uses a clever play of sound, light and space to create different compelling auditory experiences that resonate through the screen. Performing with their eyes closed, it’s interesting to see the dancers interact onstage, and with such precision in every move. The performance explores different senses of the audiences’ body, reminding us that the eyes are not the only way to ‘watch’ a performance. I had never imagined that a dance performance could produce this many emotions using sound as the primary medium. The repetitive vocals interweaved with silence and stage dynamics definitely left a strong impression!
The second performance 안녕하신가요 Hello, there is choreographed by Lim Setbyeol. I really enjoyed this performance because of its simplicity and grace. Performers used forms of everyday greetings to draw our attention to the social issue of labor rights and the treatment of workers, especially ‘emotional laborers’ who have to mask their emotions as part of their job. Hello, there uses dance as a medium of communication born out of respect for the unseen heroes in our societies.
The final performance 하드디스크 Hard Disck follows a journey of Kim Chanu’s life as he explores the artistic potential of everyday situations and objects. As an interactive performer, multiple types of media and tools were incorporated into Kim’s performance. This included video recordings, pebbles, fabric and walls to create a sense of passing time and space throughout the performance. This was definitely a unique and interactive virtual experience!
Art truly is the one thing that transcends all borders to connect us all. Quoting the Artistic Director of KNCDC Mdm Nam Jeongho, “Art will become the entity that consoles and comforts the disconnect we each experience, and in that moment, dance will come to deeply touch our lives.” Surfing at the height of the New Hallyu Wave, this is Korea National Contemporary Dance Company showcasing K-Art to the world one production at a time.
