🩰 This Week's Dance Scene Highlights: From Kimin Kim's 'Bolero' to Billy Elliot! - 2026.05.08 | Modern Dance / Ballet

Hello, fans! Your friendly Ballet Nerd is back this week with a heart-fluttering bunch of dance news! 🩰✨ There's so much content to catch up on this week, no time to rest! Shall we dive right in?

🔥 Absolutely Tore Up the Stage! Kimin Kim's 'Bolero'

Did everyone see Mariinsky Ballet Principal Dancer Kimin Kim's 'Bolero' stage?! It was truly a legend itself 😭 Rave reviews are pouring in for this performance showcased at the Béjart Ballet Lausanne's Korea tour ^[1]. According to the review, without losing to Ravel's musical technique of constantly dividing the beat and adding new instruments, Kimin Kim's movements—steadily continuing plié (bending the knees in ballet) while developing the use of his hands and feet—provided a breathtaking immersion that seemed to constrict the viewers' hearts ^[1]. Standing on the red round table as the lead 'Melody' and dancing with 36 corps de ballet dancers, the energy of the dancer pushing his limits and showing incredible immersion made the audience's hearts burn too ^[1]. As expected, our artist's class is eternal!

🎭 Dazzling Activities of Dancers Crossing Genres!

News is out that Universal Ballet Principal Dancer Seonwoo Lim is actively starring as the 'Adult Billy' in the musical 'Billy Elliot'! ^[2]. To think that the 1st generation child Billy has grown up to return as the adult Billy, fans are pressing their tear buttons...🥺 In particular, the 'Dream Ballet' sequence where he dances using a chair as a partner with the young Billy is considered an absolute must-see point as it highlights the skills of a professional ballet dancer ^[2]. As it is a work about the growth of a boy from a British coal mining town dreaming of becoming a ballerino, the detailed dance lines and passion of the dancers unfolding on stage, including tap dance, ballet, and acrobatics, are bringing tremendous emotion ^[3]. And make sure to check out the Seoul Spring Festival Wonder Show video held at Yeouido Hangang Park on the 3rd! The modern dance performance harmonized with violinist and modern dancer Jinyeop Cha, and the Korean dance performance by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre completely enchanted the night of Seoul ^[6]. The feast of art crossing between traditional Korean music and modern dance is truly insane ^[6].

🏛️ Non-stop Hardworking Moves of National and Public Companies

The lineup for national companies this month is crazy! Everyone better load up their bank accounts firmly💸

Korea National Contemporary Dance Company: The children's dance play 'Jelly Dinner' will be held at the Seoul Arts Center Jayu Theater from the 16th to the 24th of next week . It is a new work by choreographer Jaeyoung Lee, and it is said to be a work that funnily unravels episodes happening in a jelly factory with the colorful movements unique to modern dance, tailored to children's eye level . It seems perfect for bringing newbie fans or nieces and nephews!
Korean National Ballet: They are performing the modern ballet 'Infra' at the GS Art Center from yesterday (8th) to tomorrow (10th) . As a work by Wayne McGregor, the resident choreographer of the Royal Ballet in the UK, it is said to depict human alienation occurring under a subway platform through colorful modern ballet, harmonized with Max Richter's music and Julian Opie's LED video . And from the 15th to the 16th of next week, the 'Double Bill - McGregor & Taylor' performance featuring choreographies by Wayne McGregor and Paul Taylor is also waiting at the Sejong Arts Center ^[4]. The Korean National Ballet perfectly digesting not only classic ballet but also modern ballet, I'm truly proud!

🌊 Busan is Dancing Right Now! Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival

Busan fans, make some noise! 🗣️ The 19th Busan International Improvisation Dance Festival (Bimpro) opened on the 7th and is being held all over Busan until tomorrow (10th) ^[5]. With the F1963 courtyard as the main stage, it's a massive scale where about 150 artists from home and abroad crossing genres and boundaries participate ^[5]. You can see everything from ballet, modern dance, Korean dance, to street dance ^[5]. In particular, the program is fully packed from the 'Relay Improvisation' lasting for 100 minutes, the 'Open Improvisation' breathing with the audience, and the main performance 'Contact Improvisation' with overseas invited dancers ^[5]. Just as Artistic Director Eunhwa Park said, it's a festival that will properly wake up the sleeping rhythm cells of dance inside us, so nerds nearby should definitely run to see it!

I'm so happy because our dancers seem to be in crazy good form this week too ㅠㅠ Everyone, keep your ticketing windows open and let's go for it! I'll be back next week with more heart-pounding news! 💖