DAEGU, South Korea—Veteran Korean dancers Kim Jong-gyu and Cha Yu-so attended Shen Yun New Era Company’s second performance at the Suseong Arts Center in Daegu on February 19. Both long dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional Korean dance, the couple said they were impressed by the breadth and technical depth of the production.
Mrs. Cha, a former professor emeritus at Jinju University of Education, is widely recognized as the inheritor of Korea’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 12, the Jinju Sword Dance. In addition to mentoring younger generations, she has actively performed and promoted the dance internationally, including in Japan, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
As a seasoned dance artist, Mrs. Cha said she especially appreciated the comprehensive technical training demonstrated by Shen Yun performers.
She added that the dancers’ command of technique was evident throughout the performance. “I can sense that they possess solid foundational skills that allow them to control any movement and then stand on this stage. Even if they were asked to perform a Korean dance, they would excel remarkably,” she said.
Mr. Kim also highlighted the distinct physical vocabulary of classical Chinese dance. “In our view, Korean dance does not have comparable movements. Shen Yun exhibits a vast range of motion—with arms fully extended, the body completely open, legs greatly extended, plus somersaults,” he said. “These movements are completely absent in Korean dance. This is a characteristic unique to Chinese dance.”
“Shen Yun’s costumes are designed to align with the theme and movement characteristics of each program, which enhances and showcases the dynamic beauty of the dance. The colors and shapes are not static; rather, they complement the dancers’ performances,” she said.
She noted a contrast with Korean productions. “In Korean dance, costumes and choreography are often independent, whereas in Shen Yun, the costumes and dance are harmoniously integrated,” she said.
“When I observed the dancers seamlessly flying in and out of the background screen, blending in and interacting synchronously, I thought to myself—to attract such a vast audience worldwide to become loyal fans, it truly requires reaching this level,” she said.
