몸 두드리고 이야기하고… 발레 맞아? 고정관념 깬 ‘죽음과 소녀’

The Seoul Art Dance Institute, which has been leading the way for national contemporary ballet, staged "Death and the Girl" on the main stage of the National Theater in Jung-gu, Seoul, from July 14 to 16, marking its two-year anniversary. Based on Beethoven's Symphony No. 14 in D minor, "Death's Girl," Alexander Ekmann's "Robe of the Seer" and Christian Schuppan's "Seventh Blue" were combined, deviating from the traditional ballet concept.

The symphony orchestra performed on the stage rather than at a lower level, and the dancers and musicians exchanged movements and emotions, creating a dynamic scene that heightened the immersion in the performance. "Robe of the Seer" by Christian Schuppan challenged conventional ballet with its provocative approach. Dancers wore yoga attire, exposing their bodies while making percussive sounds with their hands on their faces, chests, and the stage.

They engaged in challenging movements, creating rhythmic percussion that echoed the intensity of "Nata" performances. The dancers' hair was washed with water, creating a sense of playfulness, and they performed underwater ballet movements. The scenes of ballet dancers rehearsing seemed to ask questions, with narrations blurring the line between a musical drama and reality.

"Post-modern and friendly performance" "What did you see?" "The blue robe" "Freedom and imprisonment" "Robe of the Seer" "What did you see?" Alexander Ekmann's "Robe of the Seer" is a critique of modern art's pretentiousness and authoritative critical culture, inviting a new perspective on art. It challenges the audience to think about their viewing habits and interpretations, emphasizing that there is no single correct answer.

In Christian Schuppan's "Seventh Blue," the tension between life and death is explored through Beethoven's "Death's Girl." The symphony orchestra's performance at various points on stage served as the central axis for the dancers' movements and emotional expressions. The flow and speed of the music influenced the dancers' actions, representing the interplay of life and death through their costumes, expressions, and various movements, ultimately creating a beautiful spectrum of ballet and reflecting on the meaning of life and death.

Schuppan noted that the work is inspired by Matthias Claudius's short poem "Death and the Girl," and he aimed to create a world where the emotions conveyed in this poem naturally emerge, filled with melancholy, loss, fear, acceptance, beauty, and emptiness.