[Features reporter] How ballet is bridging history and future

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Mar 172025

몸짓으로 그리는 역사 '안중근, 천국에서의 춤' Yoo-jin, what do you have for us today? Here in Korea, a powerful ballet proved that stories aren’t just written in ink but can also be brought to life through movement. It's a production that paid tribute to an independence hero whose final wish was to dance for Korea's freedom. First, take a look. Jumps, turns, and twirls. Sometimes, movement speaks louder than words. The Korean ballet 'Ahn Jung-geun, A Dance in Heaven' marks its 10th anniversary this year. Ahn is best remembered for pulling the trigger that changed history -assassinating Japan's first Resident-General of Korea, Hirobumi Ito. Ito is known to have orchestrated the 1905 Eulsa Treaty, stripping Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty. Director and scriptwriter Yang Young-eun says Ahn's final words before his execution became the heartbeat of this production. "His words: When I hear the sound of Korea’s independence ringing from heaven, I will dance with joy.' I realized he must have danced in moments of happiness. That’s when I thought, why not tell his story through ballet, one of the purest forms of art?" The ballet traces Ahn's life from his marriage to his beloved wife Kim Ah-ryeo at 15 to his final moments at 31. Ballerinos Yoon Jeon-il and Lee Dong-tak play Ahn, which they call an "incredible honor." "I've read books, watched documentaries, and studied historical records, but I tried to embody his sacrifices and convictions. I kept asking myself, 'Why did he make those choices? What must it have felt like to give up everything for a greater cause?'" "I wanted to ensure that Ahn's story in our production flowed seamlessly from the battles he fought, the sorrow of losing his fellow soldiers, his resilience, and how he ultimately carried out his mission." Ahn's love, agony, and unwavering determination are expressed entirely through motion. This is where the ballet took a bold turn, breaking tradition with creative choices, most notably, a rare male corps de ballet sequence. "Typically, ballet prioritizes symmetry and uniformity, but we pushed beyond convention -more balance shifts, expressive upper-body movements, and dynamic movements. And our choreographer's pas de deux beautifully conveys 'han,' Korea's deep sorrow and resilience." A story once confined to history books now lives on through dance, each step a heartbeat, each leap a cry for freedom. So, this ballet took the stage last weekend. Anything more special about the performance? The 70-minute performance was held twice: once last Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center's CJ Towol Theater. What's special about this production was that this time, it invited national merit awardees, their families, and those in uniform as part of an effort to promote a shared culture of honoring national service. There was also a student discount for middle school, high school, and university students to encourage younger generations to connect with Korea's history of independence. And the cast was quite remarkable. Principal dancers from Korea's top two ballet companies shared the stage: Lee Dong-tak from Universal Ballet Company and Kim Li-hoe from the Korean National Ballet played Ahn Jung-geun and his wife, Kim Ah-ryeo. Director Yang also shared that one of the most powerful moments in the performance has been reworked, the scene where Ahn dreams of his wife after losing his fellow independence fighters in battle. For the 10th anniversary edition, the choreography and music have been adjusted to better convey his guilt and inner turmoil. That sounds incredible. It's also very timely with this year marking the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation. And Yoo-jin, I'm sure many of our international viewers are wondering, will they get a chance to see this ballet overseas? Not yet, but hopefully soon! For the past decade, "Ahn Jung-geun, A Dance in Heaven" has been focused on solidifying its place in Korea's ballet scene. And that's no small feat, as homegrown ballet productions often struggle to stay on stage due to budget constraints. The fact that this one has lasted 10 years is proof that it has found its audience. That being said, the future looks bright for an international run. Since ballet relies entirely on movement and expression, there's no language barrier, making it accessible to audiences worldwide. Hopefully, it won't be long before we see this production reaching ballet lovers around the world. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on that. Yoo-jin, thank you for your report. As always, it's my pleasure. #Korean_ballet #Korean_history #AhnJunggeun #ADanceinHeaven #안중근_천국에서의춤 #안중근_창작발레 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : / arirangtvnews 📣 Twitter : / arirangtvnews 📣 Homepage : https://arirang.com/ 2025-03-17, 14:00 (KST)