Korean ballerinas who have built distinguished careers with some of the world's leading ballet companies will come together with top male dancers from Korea and abroad for a special one-night gala performance in Seoul.
Members of Korea Ballet Stars, former Korea Youth Ballet Stars dancers now performing overseas, and male dancers from domestic and international ballet companies will share the stage. A gala performance presents highlights from multiple ballet works in a single program, allowing audiences to experience a wide range of repertoire and artistic styles that are rarely seen together in a full-length production. Through Gala with Overseas Ballet Stars, Korea Ballet Stars will showcase the current landscape of Korean ballet talent thriving around the world.
The program will feature some of classical ballet's most celebrated works. The evening opens with the Don Quixote Pas de Deux performed by Yeom Da Yeon, who is set to join the Boston Ballet, and Kim Si Jin of the Tulsa Ballet. The program continues with Spring Water, performed by Kang Hye Ji, a soloist with the Polish National Ballet, and Aleksandr Seitkaliyev of Universal Ballet.
Another highlight will be the Black Swan Pas de Deux featuring Kim Dan Bi, a first soloist with Houston Ballet, alongside Yang Jun Young of Korean National Ballet. The program also includes Paquita Grand Pas, led by Kim Ha Eun, a full-scholarship student at the ABT Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and Kwon Do Hyun of Alberta Ballet, joined by members of Korea Ballet Stars. Together, these performances will showcase both the elegance and athleticism that define classical ballet.
Adding a contemporary dimension to the evening will be Juliet Serenade, choreographed by Italian artistic director Roberta Ferrara of Equilibrio Dinamico Dance Company and performed by members of Korea Ballet Stars.
The gala will also spotlight dancers who first gained international recognition through the prestigious Prix de Lausanne. Kim Dan Bi received the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation's Young Talent Award at the competition in 2016 before entering the Houston Ballet Academy on scholarship. Since joining Houston Ballet in 2018, she has established herself as one of the company's standout performers through leading roles in productions such as Swan Lake, Raymonda, and Giselle.
A decade later, Yeom Da Yeon captured international attention at the 54th Prix de Lausanne this February, earning both the Second Prize Scholarship and the Audience Favorite Award. She is scheduled to join Boston Ballet in August.
Audiences can also look forward to performances by Kang Hye Ji, who has excelled in productions ranging from John Cranko's Romeo and Juliet to works by George Balanchine and Tamara Rojo, as well as Kim Ha Eun, who drew acclaim for portraying Anne Frank in Dance Theatre Shahar's Anne Frank.
Gala with Overseas Ballet Stars will be held on July 12 at Doam Hall, Seoul Arts Center.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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