[Flowing Dance over ‘Sagunja’] by Movement Factory Dance Company

6^th Performance of the OPEN STAGE 2014-2015 Season

Where is the flower that blooms without wavering?

All of the beautiful flowers in the world

have bloomed as they swayed.

Their stems grew straight as they swayed.

Where is the love that grows without wavering?

- From “Flowers That Bloom as They Waver” by Do Jong-hwan

The Korean Cultural Service New York presents the 6th performance of its performing arts series, Open Stage 2014-2015 with <Flowing Dance over ‘Sagunja’> performed by Movement Factory Dance Company.  In this two part performance, the audience will be able to experience what feels like both an art gallery and a contemporary dance performance.  ‘Sagunja’ will intertwine these two art forms and introduce the audience to a new form of ‘movement artwork.’

‘Sagunja’ is a term used to indicate the four noble, gracious plants – plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo – in traditional Korean paintings.  Since the Joseon Dynasty, Koreans believed that these four plants embodied the spirit of the revered scholars: loyalty, integrity, nobility, and strong willpower.

Through the collaborated work of painting ‘Sagunja’ and contemporary dance, <Flowing Dance over ‘Sagunja’> contains artistic qualities that transcend time and space, blend tradition and present, and harmonize the East and West.

The first part of the performance, <Be Infected With> illustrates how man and woman fall in love and how they become, in a way, “infected” by each other.  Over the painting of a plum tree on the stage, a male dancer and a female dancer meet, and begin to dance as they feel each other’s energies by breathing and moving together.  Because the paint of the plum tree is not yet dry, their bodies in turn are “infected” with colors as they dance over the painting.  Inspired by the ballet piece, “The Spirit of the Rose,” <Be Infected With> reveals the intimate process of falling in love, the tensions between lovers, and the indescribable fullness of happiness that love initiates.

The second part of the performance titled <Imagine>, expresses the volatile internal mindscape of the painter, Ko Jung Du.  Ko, as part of the performance, paints the plum tree of ‘Sagunja’ on a translucent hanji paper on stage.  Each of his brushstrokes appears to simultaneously induce the intense movements of the dancers on stage.  Combined with the intensity of the music throughout the performance, <Imagine> echoes the creative process of finding one’s serenity and inner peace through powerful movements of the body and mind.

About the Movement Factory Dance Company

The Movement Factory Dance Company is a performing arts group that presents unique and innovative performances that combine different genres of art. Young Il Lee, the artistic director and founder of Movement Factory Dance Company, is one of the most renowned choreographers and male dancers in Korea. He is well known for his works that merge the movements of ballet, contemporary dance, and Korean traditional dance.

Admission is free, but RSVP is required.

To RSVP to the event, please visit: http://www.koreanculture.org/?document_srl=555709

For more information, please contact: performingarts@koreanculture.org or (212)759-9550 ext 210.