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K-ballet dancers take on prominent roles in The Nutcracker

K-ballet dancers take on prominent roles in The Nutcracker

Posted December. 18, 2023 08:06,   

Updated December. 18, 2023 08:06

한국어

Every December, ballet companies worldwide enchant audiences with the timeless classic, The Nutcracker. This ballet, which premiered in 1892 at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, continues to captivate audiences. This year, esteemed ballet companies such as the Paris Opera Ballet (BOP), boasting the longest history globally, the Royal Ballet of England, the Mariinsky Ballet of Russia, and the American Ballet Theater (ABT) of the U.S., are set to showcase it as a hallmark performance in December. Adding to the global celebration, Korea’s leading ballet companies, the National Ballet and the Universal Ballet (UBC), will also grace the stage with their renditions of The Nutcracker this month.

This year’s rendition of The Nutcracker held a particularly special significance, thanks to exciting news from Boston, the U.S. The Boston Ballet, counted among America’s premier ballet companies alongside ABT and the New York City Ballet, made a remarkable decision by casting five Korean dancers in prominent roles for its year-end performance of The Nutcracker. The principal dancers, Han Seo-hye and Chae Ji-young; the male soloist Lee Seon-woo; the second soloist Lee Sang-min; and Cor de Ballet Kim Seok-ju, took center stage in this enchanting production. Upon visiting the Boston Ballet website, an image of Chae Ji-young performing adorned the ticket reservation screen for The Nutcracker, further emphasizing the impactful presence of ‘K-Ballet.’

In recent years, the remarkable ascent of Korean dancers to the prestigious position of principal dancers in world-renowned ballet companies has been notably pronounced. Notable examples include Park Se-eun, who achieved the historic distinction of becoming the first Asian Etoile at the Paris Opera Ballet, Kim Ki-min at the Russian Mariinsky Ballet, ABT’s Seo Hee and Ahn Ju-won, as well as Ahn Jae-yong of the Monaco Monte Carlo Ballet.

The history of ballet education in Korea may be relatively short, and the physical conditioning of Korean dancers may not match the traditional standards of Western counterparts. However, many Korean dancers are globally prominent. Notable figures, such as Park Se-eun and Kim Ki-min, commonly have distinctive qualities. Their success, in a textbook-like fashion, stems from an insatiable dedication to practice. These dancers exhibit an extraordinary will to continually improve, pushing themselves beyond conventional limits.

In the past, Park Se-eun candidly said, “It is no exaggeration to say that 100% of my life is filled with ballet.” When asked about this unwavering commitment, her response resonated with a profound dedication to her craft: “Because my goal is to be a ballerina who always presents the best performance to the audience.” Remarkably, even during pregnancy, she donned toe shoes in the practice room, and after practice, her mind constantly sought ways to improve, asking herself, ‘What did I lack today?’ To divert from such thoughts, she intentionally cultivated a hobby of baking. Similarly, Kim Ki-min, known for his gravity-defying leaps, maintains an extraordinary practice routine. Despite achieving the esteemed position of principal dancer at the Mariinsky Ballet, he diligently arrives at the practice room every day at 7:00 a.m., dedicating about 10 hours to practice. His focus extends to five hours of strength training daily. Notably, there is no mysterious secret behind his flawless technique—only an unwavering commitment to effort and practice.

As the ranks of Korean dancers on the global stage continue to rise, the aspirations of Korean ballet dancers have broadened. In bygone eras, aspiring dancers set their sights on joining institutions like the National Ballet or UBC. However, in recent times, the dream of becoming part of a world-famous ballet company has transformed from an ‘unachievable dream’ to a ‘realistic goal’ for ballet majors. This is why I am anticipating K-dancers’ active participation on the global ballet stage in the next 10 to 20 years.