The Gesture of Communication Completed by Two People... Opening of the 'International Duo Dance Festival'

The Only Small Theater International Dance Festival in Korea
Seonggyun Small Theater in Daehak-ro until December 3

The 'International Duo Dance Festival (Duo Dance Festival, hereafter DDF),' where two people, the basic unit of human communication, form a team to present dance performances, opens on the 8th.

Deeper, Silence - N.motion Dance Project (Korea)
Photo by DDF

The International Duo Dance Festival Promotion Committee (DDF Promotion Committee, Chair Kim Suhyun) announced on the 8th that the 13th DDF will be held at the Sungkyun Small Theater in Daehangno until December 3.

DDF is the only long-term small theater dance performance festival in South Korea and has been held for 13 years as an international dance festival. The duo dance festival is a celebration where two people, the basic unit of human communication, form a team to present dance performances.

Duo dance can be flexibly adapted to small stages, such as small theaters, allowing closer interaction with the audience. Unlike most one-time performances, each team performs five consecutive days a week, enabling performers to continuously refine their performances and develop a dedicated fan base through consecutive shows.

During the month-long DDF, audiences can communicate more closely with dancers and enjoy various dance genres from different countries on one stage.

This year’s DDF kicks off with the international conference IDANS (International Dance Network in Seoul) on November 7, a day before the festival. The conference will be held under the theme "Exploring the Establishment of Korea-Asia Dance Networks: Focusing on the Guest Country Vietnam," featuring presentations by two critics from the Vietnam Dance Artist Association.

The festival will feature a total of 19 teams, including 5 international teams and 14 domestic teams, showcasing works in various genres such as traditional dance, creative dance, contemporary dance, and ballet.

The first week (November 8?12) will feature four teams opening the festival in a grand manner: Korean traditional dance teams Min Seonghee Yeon Dance Company and Tamucheon Art Troupe; Mongolian traditional dance teams Ganbold Bujin and Sendenpurev Enerel; and the guest country Vietnam’s Thanh Cong and Houng Ly.

Coconut catch - Thanh Cong, Houng LY (Vietnam)
Photo by DDF

The second week (November 15?19) will continue with performances by four teams: Mumu & Yuyu, Su Space, You & Me Art Company presenting Korean royal court dances, and Japan’s Chisato Kiyonaga and Sakura Ishi.

The third week (November 22?26) will showcase five teams: Na Jihoon and Kim Youngjin’s team, SONAMOVE, QuintArt Collective, Project Seo-yeon, and Japan’s IWAMOTO Taiki and WATANABE Akane.

The fourth week (November 29?December 3) will conclude the festival with six teams: Mamuk Dance Company and Yoon Myunghwa Dance Company, Park Sohyun, Joo Youngsang, dance project ON;E, N.motion Dance Project, India’s Aditi Bhagwat, and Park Eunkyung, who have been consistent participants in the duo dance festival.

On the final day of the festival, December 3, an awards ceremony will be held, and the first-place team will receive the Chairman’s Award from the Korea Arts & Culture Commission.

Lee Cheoljin, DDF Artistic Director, said, "Marking the 13th edition this year, DDF aims to be an international festival and plans to hold festivals of the same name in Tokyo, Japan in April 2024 and Hanoi, Vietnam in July 2024." He added, "Through this, we will further promote the beauty of Korean dance art and expand international networks and continuous exchanges."

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