Two shows, two companies united by skill, humour and warmth—both Korean.
Last night’s double bill of Korean dance at Dance City is part of the highly anticipated 8th UK Korean Dance Festival finishing next week that has seen performances across the UK, from London to Newcastle. Christina Elliot, Head of Programming and Producing at London’s The Place, said, “this year’s festival offers a fascinating journey through the depth of contemporary choreography in Korea.”
First up is A Complementary Set_Disappearing with an Impact by award-winning Choi x Kang Project , dancer / choreographers Min-sun Choi and Jin-an Kang. It opens with a simple and clean set—a mat with an abstract design, a TV screen and a young woman with a camera, Tae-kyung Kim.
Min-sun Choi and Jin-an Kang enter in simple costumes and begin repeating a series of straightforward and interconnected movements, which we can see filmed on the screen. But do we see this in real time? Or has it already been filmed?
As the piece proceeds, the main motif is repeated, with small and increasing changes, tiny props appear from the dancers’ pockets, things don’t develop as we expect and something is not quite right! There are sport-like moments and short interludes of play, including some little cheerleader pompoms.
The dancers never lose their cool presence, as the playfulness and chaos escalate and the camerawoman circles around more. There are some genuinely hilarious moments and a fine use of the stage, set and stage changes; this piece is perfect for Dance City’s adaptable stage. A surreal and quirky piece with real poetic moments, excellent sound by Yo-han Ko and a great ending, deliciously performed.
0g (zero grams) by acclaimed Melancholy Dance Company is led by choreographer and dancer Jung Cheol-in, who opens the second half with an apparently simple solo, employing an apple and later a plate!
A second dancer enters, and the next section based on an arm drop, rebound builds as more dancers enter. Each section, seamlessly linked, presents a simple movement idea—an arm drop, a physical contact, running and bumping—and takes it to exhilarating, gravity-defying complexity with lifts, balances and pulls. Towards the end, there’s a powerful image of beauty and hope when Jung Cheol-in is lifted towards a single light. Atmospheric lighting and the music / sound score (by Choi Taehyun) work perfectly, enhancing and enriching the choreography. Using free fall and repetition in a series of different sequences that build a breathtakingly beautiful, skilled and vigorous dance piece, 0g ultimately offers fabulous dance, hope and joy.
It is also a superb male dance utilising the dancers’ strength and charm—a fantastically refreshing masculinity. Every man that thinks dance isn’t for them will enjoy and be thrilled by this work—in fact, by the entire evening.
Both pieces have excellent, clean production values, soundtracks and simple, yet exciting lighting. A great double bill!