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ABT's 'From Classic to Contemporary' ballet festival to feature four Korean stars

Published: 24 Apr. 2025, 15:06

A scene from ″Theme and Variations″ [ROSALIE O'CONNOR]

The upcoming ballet season in Seoul is overflowing with programs, beginning with the Universal Ballet’s production of “Giselle” at the Seoul Arts Center on April 18.

The performance is generating buzz, with danseurs who alternate the role of Albrecht, especially Jeon Min-cheol, who is set to join the Mariinsky Ballet, and Lim Sun-u, who originated Billy in the Korean production of “Billy Elliot.”

In May, the Korea National Ballet will present the Asian premiere of “Lady of the Camellias,” a signature piece from the earlier years of ballerina Kang Sue-jin. The Seoul Metropolitan Ballet is also following the contemporary trend, staging the Asian premieres of Johan Inger’s acclaimed works “Walking Mad” and “Bliss.” Inger is a Benois de la Danse recipient.

Meanwhile, a high-profile rivalry between two international giants — the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and the Royal Ballet — is drawing attention. It also marks a symbolic competition between the newly opened GS Arts Center, which opens Thursday at the former LG Arts Center building in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, and the current location of the LG Arts Center in Gangseo District, western Seoul, known for its 25-year history of presenting cutting-edge performing arts.

The Royal Ballet, the internationally renowned classical ballet company based in Britain, returns to Korea for the first time in 20 years. In July, the company will bring more than 20 dancers, including principal dancers Natalia Osipova and Vadim Muntagirov and its first Korean member, Jun Joon-hyuk, for “The First Gala” at the LG Arts Center. The program will span from classics like “Swan Lake” and “Le Corsaire” to contemporary duets and trios choreographed by Wayne McGregor and Joshua Junker.

Junker’s world premiere of the piece “New Work,” based on street dance, is expected to be a highlight of the show.

A scene from Kyle Abraham’s ″Mercurial Son.″ [EMMA ZORDAN]

As for the ABT, from April 24 to 27 at the GS Arts Center, 70 dancers — including 16 principals — will perform five shows under the title “From Classic to Contemporary.” Known as the “Hollywood of ballet” for producing stars like Mikhail Baryshnikov, ABT will showcase leading dancers such as Isabella Boylston, Cassandra Trenary and Devon Teuscher, along with Korean dancers Seo Hee, Ahn Joo-won, Han Sung-woo and Park Sun-mi.

It may seem paradoxical for the GS Arts Center — which promotes boundary-breaking performances under the motto “Art without borders, audience without borders” — to open with the classical genre of ballet. But a close look at ABT’s program reveals it as a living history of American ballet fusion.

“While the Royal Ballet emphasizes traditional repertoire and refined elegance, ABT embraces contemporary styles and diversity,” said dance critic Jang In-joo. “These programs reflect growing interest in contemporary dance in Korea and will stimulate the local scene in a positive way.”

So, what distinguishes U.S. ballet?

“ABT has valued preserving European classical excellence while building a foundation for American ideals and identity since its inception,” said critic Jeong Ok-hee, who likens the company to a “lavish buffet restaurant.”

The signature piece is George Balanchine’s “Theme and Variations” (1947), set to the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s “Orchestral Suite No. 3” (1884). Blending 19th-century imperial style with 20th-century structure, it helped define neoclassical ballet and earned the nickname “Sleeping Beauty’s cousin.”

Under a grand chandelier, dancers in traditional costumes perform 12 variations, beginning with a pas de deux, or a dance for two people, usually a man and a woman, and gradually expanding into complex formations involving 24 soloists. Known for its speed and precision, the piece demands stamina and technical finesse — Baryshnikov once selected it as the most difficult work of his career.

If Balanchine’s neoclassicism reimagined classical ballet, Twyla Tharp — dubbed the queen of U.S. dance — broke its sanctity using modern vocabulary. Her acclaimed 1986 piece “In the Upper Room,” set to the repetitive, dreamlike music of composer Philip Glass, showcases minimalist American style and broadens the definition of ballet.

Dancers wear a layered mix of striped jumpsuits, white sneakers and red pointe shoes, blending movements from boxing, tap and yoga. The lighting design, which uses shadows, fog and spotlights to deepen the stage, won an Olivier Award, a prestigious stage honor in Britain, in 1991.

Also noteworthy is the contrast in the double bill of “La Boutique” and “Mercurial Son,” which premiered last October. “La Boutique,” choreographed by ABT alum Gemma Bond, reinterprets Léonide Massine’s 1919 one-act ballet “La Boutique Fantasque.”

Ballerina Seo Hee in Twyla Tharp’s ″In the Upper Room″ [KYLE FROMAN]

In “Mercurial Son,” choreographer Kyle Abraham uses erratic electronic sounds to break formal ballet patterns, delivering a contemporary sensory experience.

The duet series also ventures beyond classics. Critic Jeong recommends “Neo” and “Great Galloping Gottschalk.” The latter — a signature piece from the 1980s — fuses jazz and modern dance to express an upbeat, free-spirited U.S. energy.

“Neo,” a 2024 premiere by ABT resident choreographer Alexei Ratmansky, was created for Boylston and James Whiteside. Accompanied by live samisen music, the piece strips away narrative and conventional gestures to explore pure movement and interaction.

“The dancers push their physical limits,” said Jeong, “making it a thrilling exploration of dance itself.”

Also worth watching are performances by Seo, now a defining face of ABT, and rising star Park. Park has been cast in several major works, including the Royal Ballet and ABT coproduction of Christopher Wheeldon’s 2023 piece “Like Water for Chocolate” and McGregor’s 2024 “Woolf Works.”

Wheeldon has described Park to have excellent potential as a dramatic ballerina, citing her delicate and graceful appearance incorporated with a burning passion and strength.

Translated from JoongAng Sunday using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY YOO JU-HYUN [[email protected]]