US Representative Ballet Company ABT Returns to Korea After 13 Years... Performance at GS Art Center Opening on the 24th

A Total of Five Performances Scheduled Until the 27th
Featuring 16 ABT Principal Dancers
Korean Dancers Including Seo Hee and Ahn Joo-won to Appear

On the 24th, to commemorate the opening of the GS Art Center, the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), a ballet company representing the United States, will visit Korea for the first time in 13 years.

GS Group plans to officially launch its social contribution activities through cultural and artistic projects by opening the GS Art Center this year, marking the 20th anniversary of the group's founding. Last August, GS Cultural Foundation was established to manage the operation of the GS Art Center. The GS Art Center is located on the 5th floor of the GS Tower, where the former LG Art Center was situated. The LG Art Center relocated to Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, in March 2021. GS Group invested 32 billion KRW to remodel the LG Art Center and will open it under the name GS Art Center on the 24th.

The opening performance will feature the world-class ballet company ABT, representing the United States. ABT will visit Korea for the first time since 2012 and present its signature works that had their world premieres. These include "Theme and Variations," which premiered in 1947, "In the Upper Room," premiered in 1986, and last year's premieres "Mercurial Son" and "La Boutique." ABT will perform five shows from the 24th to the 27th (two shows on the 26th). Except for the internal event on the 24th, performances from the 25th to the 27th will be available for public ticket sales.

On the 25th, three works?"Theme and Variations," "In the Upper Room," and "Mercurial Son"?will be performed. On the 26th at 2 PM, "La Boutique" and "In the Upper Room" will be staged, and at 7:30 PM, "Mercurial Son" and "Theme and Variations" will be performed. The final performance on the 27th will feature "La Boutique" and "In the Upper Room." For the performances on the 26th and 27th, which showcase two works each, ABT principal dancers will also present a "Pas de Deux Series," featuring duets from famous ballets such as "The Sleeping Beauty" and "Sylvia."

Performance scene of American Ballet Theatre (ABT)'s 'La Boutique' [Photo provided by GS Cultural Foundation, (c) Emma Zordan]

"Theme and Variations" is a work choreographed by George Balanchine, a 20th-century ballet innovator who led the golden age of American ballet. Set to Tchaikovsky's melodies, it showcases the golden era of ballet symbolized by the Russian Imperial Ballet.

"In the Upper Room" is a collaboration between American dance queen Twyla Tharp and composer Philip Glass. It embodies the essence of distinctly American minimalism and reveals ABT's unique character.

"Mercurial Son" is a work by Kyle Abraham, a contemporary choreographer gaining attention in the dance world. Abraham, an African American, is praised for expanding his identity into the realm of artistic empathy. Set against electronic music rhythms, the piece harmonizes the precision of classical ballet with unpredictably evolving free movements, showcasing the outstanding expressiveness and individuality of ABT dancers.

"La Boutique" is a work by rising female choreographer and former ABT dancer Gemma Bond. Influenced by British choreographer Frederick Ashton, it elegantly blends classical ballet with contemporary sensibilities.

ABT, celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, is the United States' national ballet company and ranks among the world's top ballet companies alongside Russia's Mariinsky and Bolshoi Ballets, the UK's Royal Ballet, and France's Paris Opera Ballet. For the GS Art Center opening performances, a total of 104 members, including 16 ABT principal dancers and 70 dancers, will visit Korea. Star dancers such as Isabella Boylston, Cassandra Trenary, and Devon Teuscher, as well as five Korean dancers affiliated with ABT?Seo Hee, Ahn Joo-won (both principals), Han Sung-woo, Park Sun-mi (both soloists), and Seo Yoon-jung?will be featured.

Performance scene of American Ballet Theatre (ABT)'s 'Mercurial Son' [Photo provided by GS Cultural Foundation, (c) Quinn Wharton]

ABT is renowned for its diverse repertoire spanning from classical to contemporary ballet. Choreographers such as George Balanchine, Antony Tudor, Jerome Robbins, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, and Wayne McGregor have led the trends in 20th and 21st-century dance through their work with ABT.

Since its founding, ABT has practiced "diversity" by employing dancers, creators, and staff from various races, genders, and backgrounds, actively reflecting diverse artistic voices and perspectives to create ABT's unique aesthetic. Notably, ABT appointed Misty Copeland, a Black female principal dancer, which is rare among major ballet companies. Last year, ABT gained attention in the ballet world with the world premiere of the full-length ballet "Crime and Punishment," choreographed by female choreographer Helen Pickett.

Following Kevin McKenzie's 30-year leadership, Susan Jaffe was appointed as the new artistic director in 2022. As the first female artistic director in ABT's history, Susan Jaffe served as a principal dancer at ABT for 22 years starting in 2000.

The GS Art Center will continue its opening festival for about two months until June 29. Following ABT's opening performance, the GS Art Center will present its flagship planned performance series "Artists" starting on the 30th.

The "Artists" series is the GS Art Center's flagship planned performance launched under the motto "Art Without Borders - Audience Without Borders." It focuses on 2 to 3 versatile creators who have expanded artistic experiences with works that transcend genre boundaries, spotlighting their diverse creations. The first "Artists" series this year will feature works by South African visual artist and performance director William Kentridge and Spanish contemporary dance choreographer and director Marcos Morau.