Seoul City Dance Company's 'Ilmu' Wins Bessie Award for Best Choreography
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Seoul City Dance Company’s Ilmu, choreographed by Jeong Hye-jin, Kim Seong-hoon and Kim Jae-deok, won the Best Choreography (Creators) award at New York’s prestigious Bessie Awards — the first time a work from a Korean national public arts organization has received this honor. Ilmu, premiered in 2022, is a modern reinterpretation of the ritual dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak (종묘제례악, the royal ancestral rites music and dance designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage No.1 and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage). The piece blends the restrained lines of traditional Korean dance with dynamic contemporary movement and drew sold-out audiences at Lincoln Center in 2023. The Bessies praised Ilmu as a visually captivating, modern reimagining of Korean ritual dance that balances stillness and explosive motion. The award recognizes the global relevance of Seoul’s creative output and the producing role of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
