Yuhui Choe

Yuhui Choe
Name	Yuhui Choe
Occupation	Ballet dancer

Yuhui Choe is a South Korean ballet dancer noted for her principal roles with major international companies and contributions to contemporary ballet repertoire. She has been associated with leading institutions and collaborated with prominent choreographers, performing across notable venues and festivals.

Early life and education

Yuhui Choe was born in Seoul and trained initially in Seoul before moving to study at institutions influenced by the traditions of the Vaganova method, the Royal Academy of Dance, and schools linked to the Mariinsky Ballet. Her early teachers included instructors from academies associated with the Korea National Ballet, the Royal Ballet School, and regional conservatories in South Korea. She attended summer programs and seminars connected to companies such as the American Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opera Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet during formative years, participating in competitions and festivals like the Varna International Ballet Competition, the USA International Ballet Competition, and regional showcases tied to the Prix de Lausanne network.

Dance training and career beginnings

Choe's training spanned techniques associated with the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, the Ballet School of the Paris Opera, and workshops led by artists from the New York City Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada. Early professional affiliations included apprentice and corps roles connected to ensembles such as the Korea National Ballet, the Vienna State Ballet, and touring troupes that performed in programs alongside the English National Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet. She participated in masterclasses with instructors from the Royal Danish Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, and contemporary mentors from the Alonzo King LINES Ballet and the Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Professional career and repertoire

As a principal artist she performed canonical roles drawn from the works staged by companies such as the Mariinsky Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and the New York City Ballet. Her classical repertoire included principal parts in productions of Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Don Quixote, often under staging by coaches from the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, the Mikhailovsky Theatre, and guest repetiteurs from the Kirov Ballet. She danced neo-classical and contemporary pieces within programs featuring choreography by George Balanchine, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Christopher Wheeldon, William Forsythe, Alexei Ratmansky, Jiří Kylián, Joaquin De Luz, Mats Ek, John Neumeier, Hans van Manen, Maurice Béjart, Twyla Tharp, Ohad Naharin, and Shen Wei. Her appearances spanned theaters such as the Royal Opera House, the Bolshoi Theatre, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera House, Opéra Bastille, the Teatro alla Scala, and festivals including the Spoleto Festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival.

Choreography and creative projects

Choreographic collaborations involved commissions and workshops with institutions such as the Korea National Ballet, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Sydney Dance Company, and multidisciplinary teams from the Juilliard School, the Bard Conservatory, and the School of American Ballet. Projects included commissions presented at venues connected to the Bregenz Festival, the Lincoln Center, the Sadler's Wells Theatre, and galleries affiliated with the Kunsthalle circuit. She worked with composers from conservatories like the Curtis Institute of Music and designers associated with houses such as Maison Margiela and Yohji Yamamoto for costume collaborations, and film projects screened at festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival.

Awards and recognition

Throughout her career Choe received honors and nominations from organizations such as the Korea Artistic Awards, the Seoul Arts Center, the Prix de Lausanne, the Varna International Ballet Competition, and national cultural bodies like the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea). She was featured in profiles by publications tied to the New York Times, the The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, and arts outlets connected to the BBC, NHK, and Arirang TV. Her performances were recognized at gala events alongside honorees from the Kennedy Center Honors, the Laurence Olivier Awards, and the Benois de la Danse ceremonies.

Teaching, mentorship, and outreach

Choe engaged in pedagogy and outreach through residencies and masterclasses at institutions such as the School of American Ballet, the Royal Ballet School, the Paris Opera Ballet School, the Korea National University of Arts, and regional conservatories linked to the National Institute of Dramatic Art. She served as guest faculty and mentor in programs sponsored by organizations including the Youth America Grand Prix, the Prix de Lausanne, the International Dance Council (CID UNESCO), and charitable foundations like the Prince's Foundation and cultural exchange initiatives with the Korean Cultural Centre UK and the Korean Cultural Service New York.

Category:South Korean ballet dancers Category:Ballet choreographers