Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company's "Ilmu" Nominated for Best Choreographer/Creator at The Bessies in the US

On January 19, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced that choreographers Jeong Hyejin, Kim Sunghoon, and Kim Jaeduck, creators of the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company's signature repertoire "Ilmu (One Dance)," have been nominated for Best Choreographer/Creator at the New York Dance & Performance Awards, also known as The Bessies.

This marks the first time in the 41-year history of The Bessies that a work by a Korean national or public arts organization, choreographed by Korean artists, has been nominated. The Bessies ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 20, local time in New York.

2023 Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company 'Ilmu' performance at New York Lincoln Center
Photo by An Hyojin, courtesy of Sejong Center

Premiered in 2022, "Ilmu" by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Company is a contemporary reinterpretation of the ritual dance from "Jongmyo Jeryeak," Korea’s Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 1 and a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The piece harmoniously blends the refined lines and restraint of Korean dance, as envisioned by choreographer Jeong Hyejin, with the dynamic, modern sensibilities of internationally active choreographers Kim Sunghoon and Kim Jaeduck. It is further enhanced by director Jung Kuho's signature minimalist yet powerful mise-en-sc?ne and artistic direction. The performance at Lincoln Center in New York in 2023 sold out every show, drawing significant attention. The New York Times described "Ilmu" as "a dialectical harmony and proliferation of tradition and modernity." "Ilmu" also proved its value domestically by winning the "2024 Korea National Brand Award."

Launched in 1984, The Bessies is a globally prestigious award that selects the most innovative works performed in New York each year. A selection committee composed of artists, producers, and critics active in New York judges six categories, including choreography, performance, and music. The nomination of "Ilmu" is particularly meaningful as it signifies that Korean fine arts, beyond the global craze for K-pop Demon Hunters, Squid Game, and BTS, have been recognized for their value in New York, the epicenter of global arts and culture. Other nominees in this category include icons of innovation in contemporary dance, such as Hofesh Shechter-who garnered attention with his performance in Korea last year-and Kyle Marshall, a next-generation choreographer attracting attention in the New York dance scene, representing the experimental and diverse spirit of the contemporary dance world.

An Hosang, President of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, stated, "This nomination is a milestone that clearly demonstrates the transformation of the Sejong Center from a mere performance venue into a production theater creating world-class content," emphasizing, "Our strategy of building a solid repertoire through selection and focus has resonated with the aesthetic sensibilities of contemporary audiences not only in Korea but around the world."