National Dance Company: ‘Sinawi’ Reinterpreted by Two Choreographers 50 Years Apart

'Double Bill: Sinawi' to Take the Stage at the National Theater in October
Choreographers Jeong-hye Bae (b. 1944) and Jin-ho Bae (b. 1994) Present New Works

A double-bill stage featuring two choreographers — separated by a 50-year generational gap — will present their unique interpretations of the traditional music ‘Sinawi’.

The National Dance Company of Korea, a resident company of the National Theater of Korea, will perform its new production, "Double Bill: Sinawi," from October 8 to 11 at the Haeoreum Theater of the National Theater. As the first performance of the National Dance Company’s 2026–2027 Repertoire Season, choreographers Jeong-hye Bae (born in 1944) and Jin-ho Bae (born in 1994) will each debut a new work, "Salpuri Saeng (Life)" and "Ahra (AHRA)," respectively.

"Salpuri Saeng" marks Jeong-hye Bae’s first collaboration with the National Dance Company in nine years. She has previously presented works including "Soul, Sunflower" and "Dancing Chunhyang" with the troupe. For Jin-ho Bae, this marks his first time collaborating with the National Dance Company.

The National Dance Company is also reflecting this generational difference in its selection of dancers. For the first time since its foundation, dancers are divided by generation into two groups for the performances. Lee Sang, a dancer born in 1985 who has internalized Korean dance over many years, will perform in "Salpuri Saeng", while younger, more dynamic dancers with fresh physical sensibilities will participate in "Ahra".

National Dance Company’s demonstration scene of "Salpuri Saeng (Life)." National Theater

National Dance Company 'Ahra' demonstration scene. National Theater

"Salpuri Saeng" embodies the spirit of "salpuri" — ritual dance aiming to dispel misfortune and pray for new life and peace — set to Sinawi music. The piece weaves together the unique characteristics of traditional dance vocabularies that have been passed down through various lineages: Imaebang-style Salpuri, Han Young-sook-style Salpuri, Kim Suk-ja-style Dosalpuri, Kim Su-ak-style Gyobang Gutgeori, and more. By integrating these diverse traditions into a single work, the piece expands the meaning of life’s joys and sorrows and the nature of life itself through a contemporary interpretation of salpuri.

Choreographer Jeong-hye Bae explained, "Rather than conveying a specific message, I choreographed the piece to reinterpret traditions like salpuri and gyobang gutgeori as new traditions, depicting scenes of exuberant enjoyment as if dancing beneath a waterfall. I hope audiences enjoy themselves, join in the dance, and leave with joy."

"Ahra" interprets the longing, sorrow, joy, and endurance embedded in Arirang as well as Sinawi’s signature improvisational quality through the bodies of young dancers. The choreography also adopts the principle of Sinawi, where each instrument expresses its own sound while responding to others. Rather than focusing on grand gestures or standardized dance movements, the piece highlights the subtle tremors and vibrations originating within the body.

Choreographer Jin-ho Bae commented, "I wanted to visualize, using only the dancers’ bodies, the lyrics of Arirang that prominently feature two emotions: han (deep sorrow) and ae (grief)."

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