"Korean Children Escaping to the Online World, Must Shake Their Whole Body"

Children Playing Freely with Imagination, Flying in Paris
'Dream Dance Company' Director An Eun-mi. Interview with Members
Joint Korea-France Youth Performance at Paris Olympics
Dance as an Intellectual and Cosmic Language, Hope to Expand Dance Education

On the 1st of the month (local time), during the height of the Olympics, ten Korean elementary school students and ten local French youths took the stage together wearing colorful Saekdong clothes at the outdoor stage of Korea House in Paris, France, capturing the attention of the world. They were invited to Korea House's 'Korea Day' after collaborating for two days through the 2024 International Children and Youth Arts Education Workshop 'Project; Son'. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service. Korean dancer Eunmi Ahn served as the artistic director, with Ahn Eunmi Company, the French local nonprofit dance group DaPoPa, and the French cultural arts institution Micadanses cooperating for the workshop and performance.

Dance artist An Eun-mi is posing before an interview with children from the Dream Dance Company at Bingo180 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 19th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

The 'Dream Dance Troupe' that performed in Paris is an expansion of the 'Dream Orchestra' project, which has been operated by the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service for 12 years, into the field of dance. It is inspired by the educational philosophy of Venezuela's 'El Sistema'. Children and youths of various ages from across the country, interested in dance but with limited access to it, gathered once a week to take dance classes.

Director Eunmi Ahn explained, “For this Paris performance, we held auditions among the existing Dream Dance Troupe members and finally selected ten elementary school students from across the country, including Seoul, Gangneung, Nonsan, and Anyang. Although it was dance education and a workshop, rather than teaching the children something specific, it was a time to encourage them, telling them that their imagination is wonderful, allowing them to run freely on stage and play with their hearts.”

'Dream Dance Company' 2024 International Children and Youth Arts Education Workshop 'Project; Son' Korea House Invitation Performance.
[Photo by Korea Arts & Culture Education Service]

With only two days and a 20-minute performance, Director Ahn said she wanted to convey the meaning of 'growing together hand in hand'. Having served as the rehearsal director for the opening ceremony of the 1988 Seoul Olympics and led the mass games, she recalled the narrative of overcoming barriers hand in hand to achieve a miracle. In this performance, she focused on expressing this through the wondrous language of dance, portraying the process of transforming impressive movements into art.

Thus, the message of respecting diversity and openness beyond race, language, culture, and region was completed through the children's dance and the performance of creating the Olympic rings hand in hand, drawing applause for the young artists' movements at the venue.

'Dream Dance Company' 2024 International Children and Youth Arts Education Workshop 'Project; Son' Korea House Invitation Performance.
[Photo by Korea Arts & Culture Education Service]

The Dream Dance Troupe members, who had learned the choreography in Korea beforehand, taught the movements directly to their French friends they met on site and conducted workshops together, receiving various stimuli. Member Iruri (10) said, “I was nervous on stage during the performance and dropped the hula hoop, but a friend calmly helped me, so I was able to finish well. When it was time to end, I felt so reluctant to leave the stage, and although we didn’t communicate well verbally, it was enjoyable to communicate and practice through our bodies.”

Member Kim Hyojung (12), who shared the stage, said, “I enjoyed going from Nonsan to Seoul every Sunday to practice with friends from different regions, but when I heard we were going to Paris to prepare the stage with French friends, I felt a huge sense of responsibility and was very nervous. However, I was so focused on just doing well that before I knew it, the performance was over,” she said with a smile.

Dance artist An Eun-mi is posing before an interview with children from the Dream Dance Company at Bingo180 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 19th. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Member Lee Cheonga (11) showed professionalism, saying, “The performance was 20 minutes long, but I had to change costumes four times, so it was hectic, but I tried not to lose concentration.” Member Jang Seyun (12) said, “At first, we learned the movements and gradually taught them to the French friends, who quickly followed along. Soon, they were doing splits and more flexible moves. We competed with each other, and although we didn’t communicate well verbally, I think we built a time of communication through our bodies.”

At an age when children should be running and moving a lot, dance has long disappeared from the regular school curriculum. Director Ahn emphasized the importance of body language and education through the body. “Korean society has regarded shaking the body as frivolous. But dance is a very intellectual and cosmic language, a process that awakens the fact that I am alive. Most schools currently do not have dance classes. In fact, what children need most is imagination expressed through the body and understanding of body language...”

Dance artist An Eun-mi is being interviewed on the 19th at Bingo180 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Above all, Director Ahn, who stressed modern dance as 'the most democratic form of education,' also said that dance allows one to learn self-expression and empathy. She explained, “When you develop empathy with others through dance, aggression decreases, and you realize that giving to others is not something special. Ultimately, performances create order. Children who usually don’t listen will listen during performances. Even young children fully experience the importance of performances, responsibility, and tension on stage. This is equivalent to the learning effect of a year’s worth of study for these children.”

Looking at the members with a worried gaze, concerned about how the world is already shrinking and what would happen if even the body is confined, Director Ahn said, “In a dark reality, people keep escaping to online and virtual worlds, but especially at times like these, you need to use your body.” She added, “When you dance, you become strong yourself and develop tolerance for the world. I hope that the 'Dream Dance Troupe' will be an opportunity for children to discover the creative energy inherent in their bodies, and that projects like this will bring a new breeze to our education and expand into larger initiatives.”