"An Unforgettable Experience"... Sejong Center's 'Ilmu' Captivates New York Audience

Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company’s ‘Ilmu’ Performs at Lincoln Center from 20-22
All 5,400 Seats Sold Out for 3 Shows
"Reinterpreting Korean Traditional Dance in a Contemporary Language" Highlighted by NYT

"It was an unforgettable experience. The mysterious charm of dance that captivates the audience's heart is beyond words." - Roma Torre, former anchor of New York One (NY1) channel and theater critic.

The 'Ilmu' performance team greeting the audience giving a standing ovation at Lincoln Center in New York, USA.
[Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

'Ilmu (佾舞, One Dance)', a modern reinterpretation of the ritual dance of 'Jongmyo Jeryeak', Korea's first National Intangible Cultural Heritage and a UNESCO-designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, captivated the hearts of New York audiences.

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced on the 23rd that the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company’s 'Ilmu', performed at the David H. Koch Theater in New York’s Lincoln Center from the 20th to 22nd (local time), made a successful debut in New York with all three shows sold out.

The performance was held as one of the highlight programs of 'Korean Arts Week' within the summer festival 'Summer for the City' hosted by Lincoln Center. The meaning of Il (佾), which refers to a line of dancers, was expanded to signify a dance where body and mind are connected as one, and was presented under the title 'One Dance'.

From the first performance on the 20th, 'Ilmu' filled all 1,802 seats. As positive reviews spread, audiences sought to purchase even restricted view seats for the second and third performances, visiting the box office until just before the show started. 'Ilmu' enchanted the famously discerning New York audience, concluding its brief three-day journey.

'Ilmu' was praised as both the most traditional and the most contemporary Korean dance. Following its premiere at the Sejong Center Grand Theater in May last year and a re-performance this past May, it achieved consecutive sell-outs, drawing attention for both its popularity and artistic quality. Directed and designed by Jung Koo-ho, with choreography by Jung Hye-jin, Kim Sung-hoon, and Kim Jae-duk, the performance was lauded as "a magnificent show representing today where the power of traditional dance meets the aesthetics of contemporary dance."

Seoul City Dance Company’s 'Ilmu' Act 2 performance held at Lincoln Center in New York.
[Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

For the New York performance, the number of dancers was adjusted from 54 to 39 considering the scale of the Koch Theater stage. Among the four acts, the third act 'Jukmu' was simplified to emphasize the unique Korean dance rhythm of stillness within movement (靜中動), maximizing the energy inherent in the performance.

During the 70-minute performance, New York audiences fully immersed themselves in the evolution and energy shifts from tradition to modernity displayed on stage, applauding at the end of each act. Cheers and standing ovations continued during the curtain call.

Various figures from the American cultural scene, including Julie Taymor, well known for directing 'The Lion King', dancer Alex Wong, ballerina Isabella Boylston, designer Alexander Wang, weathercaster Nick Koser, and former NY1 anchor Roma Torre, attended the performance.

Alex Wong, who attended on the 20th, said, "It was beautiful, visually stunning, and unforgettable." Isabella Boylston commented, "It was such a beautiful performance. Especially the Chun-aeng-mu was exactly my taste, and it was breathtaking."

Roma Torre, former NY1 anchor and theater critic, said, "The dramatic intersection of traditional ritual dance and contemporary choreography, enhanced by dynamic lighting effects and stage set harmony, felt like a kaleidoscope spinning in my mind. This 15th-century percussion music left an unforgettable impact, as if listening to a Philip Glass composition."

Ahn Ho-sang, president of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, said, "'Ilmu' successfully connecting with New York audiences has given us confidence that works based on our pure traditional arts can resonate globally. It will be a new opportunity for the K-content realm to expand to another dimension."

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