The Moment the Body Speaks... 18th Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival Sets Busan in Motion This May

Busan to Host the 18th Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival
Global Dancers Gather for Performances and Workshops at Pusan National University, National Maritime Museum, and Haeundae in May

The 18th Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival (BIMPRO 2025, Artistic Director: Park Eunhwa, Professor Emeritus of Dance at Pusan National University), where dancers from around the world gather in Busan to showcase the art of improvisation, will take place throughout May at various locations across the city, presenting stages where citizens can experience and participate together.

Celebrating its 18th edition, this festival expresses the pure energy and vibrancy of creative moments through dance, featuring a diverse array of professional dancers who will present a wide range of improvised performances, both solo and in groups.

The festival will begin with a promotional performance on May 3 at the National Maritime Museum. The main events will follow from May 9 to 11 at major cultural and educational venues such as Pusan National University and the National Maritime Museum. The festival will conclude with a grand finale on the sandy beach of Haeundae on May 24.

At Pusan National University on May 9, contemporary dance majors will perform "Campus Improvisation on the Move" against the backdrop of the campus, while "Community Improvisation," involving local residents, will take place at the Parangsae Community Welfare Center in Haeundae District. At the National Maritime Museum, a "Promotional Performance" and "Relay Improvisation" will be held on May 10, followed by "Open Improvisation" and "Contact Improvisation" on May 11. All of these performances will be offered free of charge to the public in various formats.

The highlight of the festival, "Outdoor Improvisation with Nature," will be held on May 24 on the sandy beach of Haeundae. Set against the vast sea and beach, this performance aims to break down the boundaries between everyday life and art, delivering the essence of improvisational art to the audience.

Additionally, a paid workshop themed "Everyday Gestures and Somatic Movement" will be held alongside the festival. On May 8 at Dong-Eui University, the workshop "Online Arts Education and Healing the Body Within" will take place; on May 9 at Pusan National University, "Dancing Together"; and on May 10 and 11 at the National Maritime Museum, workshops such as "Fluidity: Taking Shape and Melting Away" and "Wild Field" will be held.

A festival representative stated, "Improvisation arises not from perfect planning but from a fleeting sense of the moment," adding, "We hope that through this festival, where anyone can become both artist and audience, people will experience the freedom of art in their daily lives."

For inquiries regarding the event, please contact the Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival Secretariat or visit the official Instagram page.