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| Jung Ha-young Dance Company | |
|---|---|
| Name | Jung Ha-young Dance Company |
| Native name | 정하영 무용단 |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Jung Ha-young |
| Headquarters | Seoul, South Korea |
| Genres | Contemporary dance, Modern dance, Traditional Korean dance fusion |
Jung Ha-young Dance Company
Jung Ha-young Dance Company is a contemporary dance ensemble based in Seoul, South Korea, founded by choreographer Jung Ha-young in 2010. The company blends influences from Pina Bausch, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Butoh, and Han-inspired aesthetics while engaging with institutions such as National Theater of Korea, Seoul Arts Center, Asia Culture Center, Festival d'Avignon, and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Its work has appeared alongside presentations at venues including Lincoln Center, Sydney Opera House, Bolshoi Theatre, Theater am Neumarkt, and festivals such as Spoleto Festival USA, Avignon Festival, Taipei Arts Festival, and Perth Festival.
Founded amid a wave of South Korean contemporary arts expansion, the company emerged from Jung Ha-young's work at the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company, collaborations with Chang Mu-young, and studies under mentors connected to Tokyo University of the Arts, Juilliard School, and Royal Ballet School. Early seasons received commissioning support from the Arts Council Korea, the Korean Cultural Centre UK, and the Goethe-Institut. The company's formative projects referenced movements associated with Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea), exchanges with British Council, and residencies at Centre National de la Danse, Danspace Project, and International Dance Institute.
Under Jung Ha-young's artistic direction, the repertoire synthesizes choreographic techniques from Isadora Duncan, Alvin Ailey, and William Forsythe with Korean performance traditions connected to Janggu drumming, Madanggeuk, and Seungmu. Productions often cite scenography influences from collaborations with designers trained at Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, and ENSAD. Signature works include multimedia pieces staged with composers affiliated with Moscow Conservatory, Juilliard, and electroacoustic artists tied to IRCAM, exploring themes comparable to productions by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan, and Shen Wei.
The company has toured across Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia, performing in cities like Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, Berlin, Paris, London, New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Melbourne, and Sydney. It participated in curated programs at Festival d'Avignon, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the BITEF festival, and collaborated in co-productions with Munich Biennale, Vienna Festival, La Biennale di Venezia, and Singapore Arts Festival. It has presented works in festivals alongside companies such as Batsheva Dance Company, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and Wuppertal Tanztheater.
Core company members include dancers trained at Seoul National University, Korea National University of Arts, Istanbul State Conservatory, Vaganova Ballet Academy, Accademia Nazionale di Danza, and guest artists from American Ballet Theatre, Royal Opera House, and Paris Opera Ballet. Choreographic collaborations have involved figures like Ohad Naharin, DV8 Physical Theatre, Emio Greco, and set designers who have worked with Zaha Hadid Architects and Herzog & de Meuron. Music collaborators include composers connected to BBC Symphony Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, and electronic artists associated with Moog Music and Ableton AG.
The company runs year-round studios offering programs modeled after training at Martha Graham School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and pedagogy influenced by Laban Centre, Cunningham Technique, and Feldenkrais Method practitioners. Outreach partnerships include Asia-Europe Foundation, UNESCO, UNICEF, and neighborhood projects with Seodaemun-gu cultural centers, school residencies with Ministry of Education (South Korea), and exchange workshops with Korean Cultural Centre New York. They host apprenticeships mirroring structures at Graham Company Apprenticeship Program and summer intensives similar to Jacob's Pillow.
The company and Jung Ha-young have received national and international awards such as prizes from the Korean Performing Arts Awards, Seoul Dance Festival, Bessie Awards nominations, and grants from Culture Ireland, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Arts Council England. Recognition includes commissions sponsored by National Endowment for the Arts, residencies at Tanzmesse Düsseldorf, and invitations to artist forums at World Dance Alliance and International Theatre Institute.
Critics from publications like The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Asahi Shimbun, The Korea Herald, and JoongAng Ilbo have reviewed the company's productions, noting affinities with choreographers Pina Bausch and Akram Khan while highlighting Jung's narrative focus akin to Tadao Ando-inspired minimalism. Broadcasts and features have appeared on BBC Arts, NHK World-Japan, KBS, Arirang TV, and streaming showcases hosted by Medici.tv and YouTube channels of major venues.
Category:Dance companies Category:Contemporary dance