From street to stage, dance attracts students to study in Korea

Korea is a dance powerhouse. If you’ve seen or even heard of television shows like KBS’s “Dancing High” (2018), Mnet’s “Street Woman Fighter” (2021) or Mnet’s “Street Man Fighter” (2022), you'd have no doubt that statement is true. If you've...

Anastasia Bolotnikova and her teammates from her university dance club take to the stage at their year-end dance performance. [HARIE YONSEI]

Korea is a dance powerhouse.

If you’ve seen or even heard of television shows like KBS’s “Dancing High” (2018), Mnet’s “Street Woman Fighter” (2021) or Mnet’s “Street Man Fighter” (2022), you'd have no doubt that statement is true. If you’ve noticed videos of your favorite K-Pop artist’s backup dancers going viral on social media, you'll know that when it comes to anything dance-related, Korea is undeniably an expert in the field.

Anastasia Bolotnikova at a ballroom dance performance in Russia [ANASTASIA BOLOTNIKOVA]

Korea is a hotspot for those who aspire to learn dance with its assortment of genres, academies, practice spaces, competitions and teachers for students to choose from and experience. Over the years, its reputation in dance has rapidly grown and become acknowledged, recognized and promoted internationally.

Marlo Acosta, a 31-year-old dancer from the United States, says that K-pop is to thank for the recognition of Korean dancers by people outside the dance community. Acosta praised the wide availability of practice rooms which can be easily rented and the helpfulness of intensive programs such as midnight or professional classes by famous dance studios. Dancers in Korea have access to a variety of resources which they can use to practice and train as much as they wish.

A teacher demonstrating a routine to his students at an advanced hiphop dance class. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

The Korea JoongAng Daily asked four foreign dancers about their lives in Korea: Annie Lam from Hong Kong, Anastasia Bolotnikova from Russia and Acosta and Sodda Luna from the United States.

According to the four dancers, Korean dance academies are recognized for their professionalism, organized class structure and rigorous curriculum.

“The Seoul dance scene has more knowledge about foundational dance style, and the classes seem to have a more academic feeling so everybody is extremely focused during class,” said Luna, 25, who has been to various dance studios in Seoul.

Annie Lam after her first performance for her university dance club in Korea. [ANNIE LAM]

Even though this may seem intimidating to some, it is clearly attractive environment to dancers from Korea and overseas.

Professional or not, dancers have come to Korea from all over the world to immerse themselves in the dance culture here. Lam, a 24-year-old who is active in her university’s dance club, thinks that Korea’s advantage lies in its abundance of dance classes and studios, making it easy to look for something for everyone.

An expected obstacle for foreign dancers in Korea would be the language barrier, which can affect how much one can communicate and bond with their instructors and fellow dancers. All four dancers touched on communication as a major issue when they first started taking classes in Korea.

“I think just the fact that I am a foreigner is a challenge,” said Bolotnikova, 19.

A teacher discussing the concept for his choreography to his students at a regular dance class. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

Acosta also explained that when she did not know how to speak Korean, she would miss out on some choreography details. She also said it was challenging to talk to people as most of them — including the teachers — don’t speak much English.

Luna also added that a lot of information posted online about classes and programs is mostly in Korean.

“I’ve experienced situations when Koreans tell me they’re nervous to speak English to me so it makes them hesitant, and I share the same concerns,” she said.

Students at a weekly choreography class at JustJerk Dance Academy in Hapjeong in Mapo District, western Seoul. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

However, communication issues are also things that can be overcome as students get used to going to classes in Korea.

“[My Korean classmates and I] cannot communicate and understand each other, but every time I meet nice people that try to help me even if they can’t explain something to me," Bolotnikova said. "Because of such a problem, I started using my intuition and body language to understand the situation better, and now I feel more comfortable."

Lam said that she also made many friends who share the same passion for dance. She recommended joining the university dance club as the atmosphere is less competitive than outside classes, so making friends is a lot easier.

But this doesn’t mean that outside classes are not also an option. Because dance classes are more movement-based than verbal, it’s relatively easy for someone who is not fluent in Korean to follow.

Students and their instructor after a choreography class at X Academy, YG Entertainment’s dance school. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

Still, Acosta and Luna both recommend actively learning and using Korean to maximize the learning experience. Being able to converse with teachers and peers is something you can begin to engage in once your Korean proficiency is adequate enough.

“With my Korean getting a lot better, it got a lot easier to make friends and improve in dance as well because I am able to communicate and receive feedback,” said Acosta.

Luna also noted that language barriers in a foreign country are an understandable thing.

“I simply will continue to study Korean so I can better communicate and engage with the community,” she said.

The stage of “Dancer’s Night 2022 Final,” one of Korea’s most famous dance battles held last January 2023. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

Korean culture can seem very different at first glance, so stepping into a dance class alone without much knowledge can be scary. However, Bolotnikova said that it’s these differences in language, culture and teaching styles that make it so exciting to engage with the Korean dance community.

More than a setback, it’s an opportunity to learn something new and grow to become an even more refined dancer.

Students practice choreography in a dance practice room they rented together. [SOFIA DEL FONSO]

BY STUDENT REPORTER SOFIA DEL FONSO [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]