Korean Students Make Details Shine
The Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York hosted the Korean National University of Arts Dance Company, on December 5, when the company’s astoundingly accomplished students performed an intriguing, balanced, but not totally successful variety of dances. KNUA was established in 1993 by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Judging by this performance, the university provides a high level of professional training, developing dancers with a solid, elegant technique and an appealingly modest but confident stage presence.
Observing an Ume Flower, choreographed by Hyun Ja Kim, a professor at the KNUA dance school, is set to music scored for the gayageum (a traditional Korean stringed instrument). It opened the program featuring 10 female dancers beautifully costumed in pastel pink, turquoise and gold versions of the traditional Korean dress. The various color groupings mingled in a series of slow, melting poses with gently undulating arm movements that seemed to pluck the air, matching the staccato music. This dance possesses a delicate and ravishing stateliness.
The Diana and Acteon Pas de Deux is certainly not a stately dance, but the Koreans gave it an unusual delicacy that was irresistible. Ki Seul Park, as Diana, showed a gentle authority and a pure line, along with the presence of mind not to let a few flubbed turns throw her. Young Do Lee, as her deferential partner, showed off his bravura turns, with plenty of care for soft and accurate landings.
This accuracy and attention to detail illuminated George Balanchine’s Allegro Brillante, staged by Leslie Peck. Allegro Brillante is a small neoclassical powerhouse demanding technique, spirit and ease. Areum Chung, as the lead female dancer, was especially scintillating. Her partner, Choong Hoon Lee, danced well, if carefully, but missed some of the emotional connections with his partner; Balanchine’s men, no matter what they dance, are at heart poets yearning for their soul mates. Emotional nuances lift the ballet from a technical romp to a poem. The beautifully rehearsed and vibrant corps, though, provided a stunning backdrop. In all, the work was performed exhilaratingly and with a crystalline clarity.
The all-male Boulevard, choreographed by Mina Yoo, another KNUA professor, was obviously intended to complement the all-female opening. Presumably it also shows how up-to-date Korean choreography is: The men slouch around in T-shirts and jeans, with their hands in their pockets, skulking through isolating spotlights. The choreography is in the vaguely aggressive, post-Forsythe, kickboxing genre, with a generic, hip-hop flavor. In one section the men play with a soccer ball to Latin music, while a man in a hooded sweatshirt pounds a keyboard in the background. Apparently American pop culture has invaded even Korean dance schools. The piece lacked any real character. It was a shame, because these dancers deserved better.
Mary Cargill is a freelance dance critic based in New York City.
