Eyes say everything in Seoul Metropolitan Ballet double bill
It was only a five-minute rehearsal. But when ballet dancer Choi Young-gyu placed one hand on his hip and stepped into the sharp, pulsing rhythm of a tango, the effect was unmistakable. His gaze carried the intensity of the dance, his chemistry with his partner was evident, and his stage presence came through even in the briefest of moments.
The glimpse gave a hint of things to come at Seoul Metropolitan Ballet’s double bill, opening Friday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and running through Aug. 27. The program pairs legendary choreographer Hans van Manen’s “5 Tangos” with “No More” by choreographer Ryu Hoi-woong.
Now in his 15th season with the Dutch National Ballet, Choi said the occasion carries special meaning.
“I’ve danced in many galas in Korea, but this is the first time I’m bringing a full piece back home,” the principal dancer said at a group interview Monday at a rehearsal studio on Nodeul Island.
Set to the music of Astor Piazzolla, “5 Tangos” has long been performed in Europe, but this week marks its Asian premiere. Choi has worked closely with van Manen at the Dutch National Ballet, where the choreographer once served as artistic director and still holds the title of resident choreographer, so the piece feels familiar to him.
“The music has both passion and melancholy. When I dance and look into my partner’s eyes, I feel what tango must be like -- the intensity, the excitement -- even though I’ve never actually danced it. It’s thrilling for me, and because I enjoy it so much, I believe the audience will too.”
Feline van Dijken, the stager for the ballet, emphasized that the essence of van Manen’s choreography lies in how the dancers respond to one another.
“The way dancers look at each other and the connections they make are very essential for this work. The choreography is almost secondary to how they create the atmosphere on stage," said van Dijken.
Choi is also taking on added responsibility as rehearsal director.
“Before, I only had to focus on my own part. Now I have to oversee the entire arc of the piece, from beginning to end. It’s given me the chance to understand the work on a much deeper level.”
‘No More’ confronts life’s anxieties with energy
Also conjuring fiery rhythms, this time set to the pounding beat of live drums and percussion, “No More” examines the anxieties of contemporary life.
Dancer-turned-choreographer Ryu first unveiled the work at the company's pre-debut triple bill performance last year. For its return, marking the first anniversary of the Seoul City-run contemporary ballet company, Ryu has reworked the piece with expanded choreography, a larger cast and a sharper emotional focus.
The piece reflects the fatigue and frustration of modern, hyper-competitive urban life — what Ryu calls the struggles of Korea’s so-called “N-Po Generation,” a term referring to the young generation that has given up on many things in life: dating, marriage, children, homeownership and even dreams. Yet rather than dwell on despair, the ballet emphasizes resilience.
“I hear people around me say, ‘Life is too hard.’ I wanted to find a way to give back positive energy,” Ryu said. This year’s version adds scenes that blur the line between dream and reality, concluding with what he described as “a message of encouragement: Let’s keep moving forward.”
Ryu said he worked with drummer Kim Geon-jae of the indie rock band Silicagel to use drumbeats that evoke both destructive and monotonous rhythms -- like footsteps and a racing heartbeat -- and to create movement expressing dialogue, competition and love.
The piece reunites Ryu with dancer Kang Gyeong-ho, who gained stardom on Mnet’s dance survival program “Stage Fighter.”
“Last year, there were just seven dancers. This time, nearly twice as many join the cast, and the choreography feels more layered. The message has shifted from dwelling on hardship to offering comfort and strength,” Kang said.
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