Park Se-eun "Will Showcase the Charm of French Ballet Beyond Physical Limits"

28-29 Il Etoile Gala Lotte Concert Hall Performance
First Korea Performance After Being Named Etoile of Paris Opera Ballet
"I Want to Showcase a Variety of Classical and Contemporary Dance"

Paris Opera Ballet ballerina Park Se-eun is giving a greeting at the press conference for the Paris Opera Ballet '2022 Etoile Gala' held on the 25th at Yongdeok Hall, Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "As the season nears its end, dancers become physically and mentally exhausted. But in fact, the best dances come out when they are tired. That’s why we are preparing this Seoul performance with even more excitement."

Valerie Park Se-eun, the first Asian Etoile (principal dancer) of the Paris Opera Ballet in France, will hold her first performance in Korea since her promotion.

Performing on the 28th and 29th at Lotte Concert Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul, Park Se-eun expressed at a press conference held on the 25th at Sejong University in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, "I want to show the charm of French ballet that I have felt while dancing in Paris for the past 10 years to Korea."

After completing the final official stage of this season at the Los Angeles Gala in the United States, the Paris Opera Ballet arrived in Korea on the 23rd and is busy preparing for the performance. Park Se-eun, who is about to perform on her home ground, introduced, "I have dreamed of this gala performance for a long time." This performance is notable as she directly handled everything from planning to selecting dancers.

At the press conference, Paris Opera Ballet Ballet Master Lionel Delano? and Etoile Paul Marque, who will share the stage with Park Se-eun, attended together to explain the significance of the performance.

On the afternoon of the 25th, a press conference for the Paris Opera Ballet's '2022 Etoiles Gala' was held at Yongdeok Hall, Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
From the left, ballet dancer Paul Marque, ballerina Park Se-eun, and ballet master Lionel Delano?. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Introducing her performance partner Paul Marque, Park Se-eun praised him, saying, "He is an amazing star who joined the company at 17 and became an Etoile at 23, but on stage, we can understand each other’s intentions just by looking into each other’s eyes."

Marking her 10th year with the Paris Opera Ballet, Park Se-eun emphasized that she has always wanted to showcase French dance in Korea. This gala is a rare opportunity to experience the season repertoire of the Paris Opera Ballet all in one place.

At the time of her Etoile appointment, Park Se-eun performed the balcony pas de deux from "Romeo and Juliet," and in this performance, she will present a variety of repertoires ranging from classics to contemporary works, including the pas de deux from "The Sleeping Beauty," the divertissement pas de deux from "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," and contemporary pieces such as "Moonlight" and "After the Rain."

Ballet Master Lionel Delano? stated, "We have prepared works by various choreographers such as George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev, and Mikhail Fokin."

Regarding the characteristics of the performance, Park Se-eun explained, "French ballet is delicate, sophisticated, elegant, and emphasizes precision, with strong dramatic elements that continue from the beginning to the end of the performance. A representative example is Nureyev’s works, which are very difficult, but French ballet makes those difficult techniques look easy and beautiful to the audience." She added, "When you overcome those difficulties and limits, the language expressed by the dancer’s body becomes stronger and grows."

Born in Seoul in 1989, Park Se-eun won the Lausanne Competition in 2007 and worked with the American Ballet Theatre. After joining the National Ballet of Korea in 2009, she won the Varna Competition in 2010. She became a junior member of the Paris Opera Ballet in 2011 after an audition and was promoted to full member the following year. She was promoted to Coryph?e (2013), Sujet (2014), Premi?re Danseuse (2016), and was appointed Etoile in 2021, ten years after joining the company.

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