The National Dance Company Presents a Dance Depicting Human History... 'Jeui' Reperformed After 5 Years

A scene from Chapter 7, "Chunaeng," of the National Dance Company’s "Jeui"
Photo by National Dance Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The National Dance Company, the resident troupe of the National Theater, will perform 'Jeui (Ritual)', a dance that embodies the power of ritual with the meaning of origin, at the LG Arts Center from the 5th to the 7th of next month. The National Dance Company will bring 'Jeui' back to the stage after five years since its premiere at the National Theater's Haeoreum in 2015.

'Jeui' centers on dances within ritual ceremonies that have accompanied human history, featuring ceremonial dances representing eras and ideologies from ancient times to the present. It includes ritual dances such as Confucian 'Ilmu', shamanistic 'Dosalpumi Dance', Buddhist 'Bara Dance', 'Nabi Dance', and 'Beopgo Dance', as well as a variety of dance movements ranging from primitive to modern bodily expressions. All 47 dancers of the National Dance Company participate, presenting a dynamic and sensory group performance.

The performance is composed of eight scenes in total. It features a heavy solo dance symbolizing the origin of life, a duet expressing the emotions of coldness and passion between a man and a woman, and a group dance with 47 dancers continuously rushing to depict the complexity of the present world. The performance is characterized by a meticulously woven narrative and structurally three-dimensional choreography that expresses it.

The choreography is by Yoon Sung-joo, who served as the artistic director of the National Dance Company from 2013 to 2015. During his tenure, Yoon choreographed 'Mukhyang (2013)', which received high praise from the domestic and international dance community and established the work as a representative repertoire of the company.

The music of the modern yet primitive 'Jeui' is composed by geomungo player Park Woo-jae, who has built a unique musical world crossing genres. Park uses various techniques, including mixing traditional gugum (vocal sounds) and jazz singing styles, to maximize freshness and sacredness. The stage is visually designed by modernizing the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching, which systematize the existence of humans and nature in Eastern philosophy. The 64 hexagram patterns created through the intricate interplay of light and dancers, along with the I Ching symbols engraved on an 8-meter-high large wall, create a mystical atmosphere.

This performance will implement 'spaced seating' as part of 'social distancing in daily life' to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.