Seoul City Dance Company to Present "Mimesis" Invited Performances in Washington, D.C. This September

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts announced on September 9 that its affiliate, the Seoul City Dance Company, will present two invited performances of its signature repertory, "Mimesis," in Washington, D.C. this September.

On September 27, the Seoul City Dance Company will stage a full-length performance of "Mimesis" at the Warner Theatre, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., as part of a special program celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. This performance is organized to honor the long-standing partnership between Korea and the United States in celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary in 2026 and to introduce the beauty and artistic value of Korean performing arts to local audiences. The event is hosted by the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C., and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States, with collaboration from the Seoul City Dance Company and the Warner Theatre.

Performance scene of Seoul City Dance Company’s "Mimesis." Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Following this, on September 29, the Seoul City Dance Company will perform key scenes from "Mimesis" for about 15 minutes during the opening ceremony of Korea’s National Day celebration at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, at the invitation of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United States.

"Mimesis" premiered last year at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, where every show was sold out. The piece reinterprets eight traditional Korean dances—Gyobangmu, Hallyangmu, Sogochum, Janggeommu, Salpuri, Seungmu, Mudangchum, and Taepyeongmu—infusing them with a contemporary sensibility. "Mimesis" refers to the concept of representing the essence through art. Accordingly, the Seoul City Dance Company sought not only to replicate the forms and styles of traditional dance but also to delve into their underlying essence and spirit, transforming them into a contemporary stage language.

Performance scene of the Seoul Dance Company 'Mimesis'. Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

The Seoul City Dance Company emphasized the archetypal emotions and unique forms and spirit of characters embedded in traditional dances, while adding a modern aesthetic. The eight dances have been linked with elements of nature—water, wind, earth, lightning, void, sky, fire, and light—so that the aesthetics of Korean traditional dance can be experienced within universal images of nature. The diversity of dance movements, costumes reflecting Korean beauty, and unique props from traditional dance are also among the highlights of the production.

Hyejeong Yoon, the artistic director of the Seoul City Dance Company, directed and choreographed "Mimesis." A former lead dancer with the National Dance Company of Korea and a recognized holder of Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 45 (Hallyangmu) in Seoul, Yoon continues to advance the legacy and contemporary reinvention of traditional Korean dance.

The Washington performances mark the overseas debut of "Mimesis." Following the tour in Washington, D.C., the Seoul City Dance Company also plans to present "Mimesis" at Korea’s Traditional Dance Festival at the National Theater of Korea in October.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.