35th National Dance Festival opens Wednesday at National Theater of Korea

Opening performance features 'World Ballet Stars Gala'

All performances free of charge

A performance at the National Dance Festival. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A performance at the National Dance Festival. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

South Korea's largest dance festival, the National Dance Festival, is being held in Seoul for the first time in its 35-year history.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the 35th National Dance Festival will run from Wednesday through Oct. 23, with events at the National Theater of Korea, Naru Art Center, Seoul Nori Madang, Seokchon Lake and Banpo Hangang Park, among other venues across the city.

This year's festival carries the slogan "Dancing Seoul, United Through Dance." The program includes a main competition featuring regional dance companies that qualified through nationwide preliminary rounds, invited performances by domestic and international dancers, a showcase by overseas folk dance troupes, and street performances. A notable addition this year is a practical dance competition — introduced for the first time — which broadens both the genres and the scope of participation.

The National Dance Festival brings together dance companies representing regions across the country to perform and exchange works. A tradition dating to 1992, designated the Year of Dance, the festival has rotated among 16 cities and provinces outside Seoul to promote creative vitality among regional dancers and foster balanced development of dance across the country.

The opening ceremony was held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Haeoreum Grand Theater of the National Theater of Korea. The official opening performance, "World Ballet Stars Gala," featured the original ballet "GAT," inspired by traditional Korean aesthetics, and "Mirinaegil," choreographed by Universal Ballet artistic director Yoo Byung-heon.

The main competition — the centerpiece of the festival — runs from Oct. 6 to Oct. 22 at Naru Art Center. Regional dance companies selected through local preliminary rounds will present original works spanning Korean traditional dance, contemporary dance, ballet and other genres on the Seoul stage. Weekday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and weekend performances at 7 p.m.

All performances are free. Tickets can be reserved in advance through the festival's official website or via Naver.

This year's festival also introduces a practical dance competition for the first time. The National Practical Dance Championship will be held Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. at Seoul Nori Madang, with regional teams from across the country competing in a format mirroring that of the main competition.

The awards ceremony and closing event will take place Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. at the Daloorum Theater of the National Theater of Korea. Winners from both the main competition and the practical dance category will be announced, with prizes including the Presidential Award, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award and the Seoul Metropolitan Government Mayor's Award.

"As the National Dance Festival comes to Seoul for the first time, I hope it will be an opportunity for the creative talent and outstanding dance works from regions across the country to meet new audiences and gain wider recognition," said Min Su-hong, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's culture bureau.


ikson@heraldcorp.com