About ten dancers who had filled the stage suddenly disappeared into a hazy mist, leaving only two female dancers in red leotards who leapt powerfully as the lights went out. The audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers toward the darkened stage. This was the lingering final scene of "In The Upper Room," performed by American Ballet Theatre (ABT), the only national ballet company in the United States, at GS Art Center on April 27.
ABT visited Korea for the first time in 13 years to commemorate the opening of GS Art Center. From April 24, the opening day of GS Art Center, the company performed five times over four days. The repertoire spanned from classical ballet to new works premiered last year, presenting signature pieces that encapsulate ABT's 85-year history without drawing boundaries between eras. The program included "Theme and Variations" (1947) by George Balanchine, the innovator of 20th-century ballet and a leader of the golden age of American ballet; "In The Upper Room" (1986) by Twyla Tharp, the queen of American dance; and new works "La Boutique" and "Mercurial Son" by rising choreographers Gemma Bond and Kyle Abraham, both premiered last year. The stage also featured pas de deux from major works spanning classical to contemporary ballet. The reason for presenting works that transcend eras was to embody the motto of GS Art Center: "Art Without Boundaries - Audience Without Boundaries."
"In The Upper Room" was a striking piece in which the dancers' movements became increasingly dynamic in response to music that gradually intensified through the repetition of simple melodies. Throughout the performance, a fog machine created a thick mist on stage, and the dancers repeatedly appeared and disappeared within it, mesmerizing the audience. The dancers' movements, in tandem with the music, gave the impression of energy being condensed, and at the moment when the performance seemed to reach its climax, everything vanished into darkness, leaving a powerful aftertaste.
This piece was also the one that best embodied GS Art Center's motto of presenting art without boundaries.
Dance critic Shim Jungmin explained, "Tharp, who choreographed 'In The Upper Room,' did not distinguish between ballet and modern dance, nor did she separate fine art dance from popular dance. She is a flexible artist who has created choreography across a variety of fields."
GS Group, marking its 20th anniversary this year, opened GS Art Center and plans to actively pursue social contribution through cultural and artistic projects. By inviting ABT, a company rarely seen in Korea, for the opening performance, GS Group demonstrated its commitment. ABT is a world-renowned ballet company, alongside Paris Opera Ballet, Russia's Mariinsky and Bolshoi Ballets, and The Royal Ballet in the UK. In 2006, it was designated as the national ballet company by the US Congress and remains the only national ballet company in the United States.
Critic Shim Minjeong explained, "ABT is a company that performs not only on the world stage but also very frequently within the United States, so their schedule must be extremely busy. Since it is not a company whose performances are easily accessible, this is why it has been 13 years since they last performed in Korea."
Moreover, while 13 years ago ABT performed "Giselle," a classical ballet frequently seen in Korea, this time the significance was greater because audiences could experience ABT's contemporary works, including new pieces premiered just last year, which are rarely seen domestically.
ABT principal dancer Hee Seo (right) and Corey Starns are performing "Leaves Are Fading." Photo by GS Cultural Foundation, (c)YOON6PHOTO
ABT principal dancer Juwon An (right) is performing the 'Don Quixote' pas de deux with Christine Shevchenko. Photo by GS Cultural Foundation, (c)YOON6PHOTO
However, during the first piece presented on April 27, "La Boutique," the principal dancer made a mistake, resulting in a somewhat disorganized stage.
Critic Shim commented, "For audiences who saw ABT's performances during its peak from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, or for those who have seen many performances by Korean dancers who have risen to a world-class level, there may have been some disappointment in the corps de ballet. However, in the pas de deux, ABT dancers demonstrated excellent focus."
Starting April 30, GS Art Center will present its signature curated performance series, "Artists." The "Artists" series selects two to three multidisciplinary artists who have pursued works without genre boundaries, and spotlights their diverse creations. This year's first featured artists are South African visual artist and stage director William Kentridge and Spanish contemporary dance choreographer and director Marcos Morau. Beginning with Morau's "Afanador" (April 30 - May 1), the program will also feature "Pasionaria" (May 16-18) and "La Danse de la Mort: Tomorrow Is a Question" (May 17-18), presenting three of Morau's works. Kentridge's works "Sibyl" (May 9-10) and "Shostakovich 10: If Only I Could Dream of Another World" (May 30) will also be performed.
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