A Global Celebration of Dance! ... 19th Busan International Dance Festival Opens to Support 2030 Busan World Expo Bid

June 2-4 Haeundae Beach Hosts Large-Scale International Dance Festival

Over 300 Artists, 40 Performance Groups Participate with 60+ Works

Busan City announced that the 19th Busan International Dance Festival, a global celebration of dance wishing for the hosting of the 2030 Busan World Expo, will be held at the Haneul Theater in the Busan Cinema Center starting with the opening ceremony and gala performance at 7 p.m. on June 2, followed by a special stage at Haeundae Beach.

Busan International Dance Festival.

The ‘Busan International Dance Festival’ is the world’s only beach dance festival where ‘performances’ set against the backdrop of the sea and sunset at Haeundae Beach meet ‘dance’ that conveys powerful messages through the beautiful nature and movements of the maritime city. It began in 2005 as the Busan International Beach Dance Festival (special stage at Gwangalli Beach) and was renamed the Busan International Dance Festival in 2008. Over the years, it has grown in scale and significance as an international event.

Marking its 19th edition this year, the Busan International Dance Festival is hosted by Busan City and organized by the Busan International Dance Festival Organizing Committee (Chairman Park Hyung-jun, Executive Chair Shin Eun-joo). It will be held over three days from June 2 to June 4 at the special stage on Haeundae Beach, Haneul Theater in the Busan Cinema Center, and Busan Citizens Park.

This event is conducted through close cooperation and collaboration between Busan City, government agencies including the Korea Arts Council, embassies in Korea, and foreign government organizations. Over 300 artists from Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia will participate, presenting more than 40 performance groups and around 60 works.

The festival’s features this year can be broadly categorized into three: ‘diversity,’ ‘popularity,’ and ‘citizen participation events.’

▲ First, ‘diversity’: This year’s entries encompass a wide range of dance genres. These include modern dance, ballet, folk dance, street dance, and even Sufi dance blending North African traditions. Participating countries cover all continents including Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia.

▲ Second, ‘popularity’: This year aims to expand the audience base not only among art enthusiasts but also the general public less familiar with dance arts. Prestigious Korean court dances, ballet, and modern dance, along with renowned domestic groups with global reputations, will invite audiences to a feast of dance.

▲ Lastly, ‘citizen participation events’ wishing for the hosting of the 2030 Busan World Expo.

Through the ‘1-minute relay performance wishing for the 2030 Busan World Expo’ selected via open call, the ‘Open Stage’ held with the Busan Dance Association at Busan Citizens Park, and the entire program of the Busan International Dance Festival held at the Busan Cinema Center and Haeundae Beach stages, the passion of Busan citizens for hosting the 2030 Busan World Expo will be shared with people worldwide.

It is expected to be an opportunity to inform the world of Busan citizens’ wishes by utilizing this international cultural and artistic platform where people from around the world participate.

Also, responding to the audience’s strong desire to enjoy world-class, high-quality dance performances, this year will feature the first-ever special full-length invited performance of ‘What the Day Owes to the Night’ by the French Herv? Koubi Dance Company.

Day owes to night.

This work is characterized by a fusion of acrobatics, gymnastics, breaking, hip-hop, modern dance, ballet, and traditional Sufi, contrasting explosive energy-filled contemporary street dance with the solemnity flowing from North African traditions.

Choreographed by Herv? Koubi, an emerging choreographer rooted in Algeria, the piece premiered in 2013 and has since toured the United States 13 times with 100 sold-out performances, receiving praise and warm acclaim from global media.

The Herv? Koubi Dance Company, based in Calais, northern France, conducts over 85 touring performances annually across Europe and North America. After 10 years of world tours, it will make its Asian premiere at the 2023 Busan International Dance Festival.

Through programs such as the ‘Korea Dance Grand Prix’ and ‘Busan International Choreographers Camp,’ the festival plays a role in international cultural exchange, aims to activate dance performance content, strengthen solidarity with local communities, and establish itself as a global festival platform.

Park Hyung-jun, the organizing committee chairman and mayor, stated, “We will provide unwavering support so that this event can serve as a foundation not only for the globalization of Busan dance but also for the development of local culture and arts and the hosting of the 2030 World Expo.”