Ballet Festival 2000-Sharing the Spirit of Dance

Competitors often cannot be friends. This is as true in sports as it is in artistic fields. However, a Korean ballet group is an exception. Perhaps it is because they share the same goal-to introduce and popularize the art of ballet. The 'Ballet Festival 2000,'from September 4-8 is being held to achieve that end.

Before this festival, the two major ballet companies in Korea, the National Ballet Company and the Universal Ballet Company (UBS) competed with one another, creating a rift between them. Advocates of the art of ballet realized in order to popularize the dance form, the two companies had to work in unison.

They performed together for the first time in 1998 at the 'Korea Ballet Star Festival,' which was sponsored by the performance magazine 'Auditorium.' Major dancers of the National Ballet Company, the UBC, the Seoul Ballet Theater, and the Kwangju City Dance Company performed together on the same stage. Although the 'Korea Ballet Star Festival' lasted for only 2 years, the leaders of the companies banned together and created the 'Ballet Festival.' Bringing the world of ballet to Korea.

On September 7-8 at 7:30pm in Seoul Art Center, audiences have the opportunity to see the major dancers perform scences from the most famous ballet pieces around the world.

by Ahn Hye-ree