Performance Info

Founded in 2001, LDP is an international dance project ultimately aimed at bringing Korea’s dance to the global stage. After its foundation, LDP has played the role of enhancing the value of the arts while leading the creation of a repertoire that emphasizes a deep artistic philosophy and communication with continuous experimental challenges based on differentiation and the style unique to LDP. The dancers of LDP have earned the trust of the public step by step through their endless efforts and sincerity as well as their distinctive gifts and talents. It is the only ballet company in Korea whose name alone has earned the trust of the audience to expect a groundbreaking performance.

Artistic Director Kim, Dong-kyu
Producer Gook, Ji-soo

Interview

Q: In LDP, choreography is not exclusively done by the artistic director but also by the dancers and the guest choreographers. Because there are several different ongoing projects, dancers are also free to pursue their individual projects. Tell us about LDP’s operational style.

Kim Dong-kyu: LDP has aimed to create original experimental works for the past 20 years. We continue to release new works that reflect various contemporary styles. One defining trait of LDP is its democratic operational style. When an individual’s experiences accumulate, the organization as a whole gets stronger, so we respect our dancers’ individual activities. Since our members have choreographic skills, they are also given many opportunities to participate in the choreography of LDP performances.

Kim Dong-kyu: Yes, LDP changes shape and color depending on its director. I believe this is one of LDP’s strengths. When its director pursues dramatic performances, the group performs that kind of work. Directors who have previously had a lot of global experiences create international exchange opportunities and invite foreign choreographers for collaboration. One artistic director introduced a more systematic operational style and made a manual for everything. Another director contributed to the Korean dance scene by introducing many new repertoires. When I first took over, my background in hip-hop influenced the choreography and I created energetic group-dance movements. Now, I’ve taken a different approach: I’ve become more minimalistic and want to create a nonrepresentational movement. I’m currently working on a new work, which I hope will determine the future direction of LDP.

Kim Dong-kyu: “Look Look” is the first work that I created as LDP’s artistic director. It was a personal question directed at myself. “What kind of person am I?” “How do other people look at me?” These questions were the starting point of my research. I think I’ve been too self-conscious and anxious about external appearances. So I projected movements that are unlike my usual self to the dancers and intentionally created movements that I found unattractive. I attempted to show both energy and detail in this work.

Gook Ji-soo: It was a new attempt. We used a white stage floor and very colorful costumes. Dancers express the choreographer’s intentions through their facial expressions and bodies, but Director Kim hid the dancers’ faces with colorful ski masks that even covered their eyes. This created intrigue about the work. By not focusing on the dancers’ faces, the audience could concentrate more fully on the body movements and details, such as the music and rhythm. I think “Look Look” is a work that broke boundaries between dance genres. We were invited to perform at a street performance festival in Spain. We were the only modern dance group there; other teams gave b-boy or street dance performances. The other dancers were very interested in LDP’s genre, and we were even invited to participate in a street dance festival.

Kim Dong-kyu: I’m a strong believer in freedom in expression. So I tried to create works that can express an individual’s thoughts in various ways. However, even I find myself growing introverted and unable to express my thoughts when I am in front of a lot of people. This made me think about the double-sidedness of human nature. People should be consistent in their thoughts and actions and be able to express their thoughts clearly in front of others, but this isn’t so easy. Through “MOB,” I wanted to express the individual and the crowd, or mob. The dance’s theme is: “The thoughts of an individual must be respected. However, one must be very prudent when expressing one’s individual thoughts.” In addition, I wanted to showcase the explosive energy of the male dancer.

Gook Ji-soo: “MOB” is the main work in LDP’s repertoire and has been performed many times. There is a male and a female version, and the two textures are very different. We choose which to perform according to the occasion and the audience.

Kim Dong-kyu: The theme of “MOMBURIM” is “the movements that a body can perform.” Since dancers end up performing in what seems like a similar style and form, I felt myself trapped in mannerism. So I asked myself, “What would it be like if I eliminated everything from my current style and didn’t convey a message or tell a story at all?” Instead of making the body writhe and struggle, I wanted to minimize the body movements to the point where the body just begins to struggle. During my research for this work, I made the dancers stand still for 10 minutes. I also tried restricting the movement of certain limbs and told them to concentrate on instinctive actions that are done without thought or reason. At the time, I valued my work highly and found this experimentation meaningful. In MOMBURIM, I tried to show myself, my true self, in its rawest form.

Gook Ji-soo: “MOMBURIM” is a work that concentrates on movement. It was possible because our dancers have worked together with us for a very long time. Dancers find it difficult when they are not given anything — material or subject matter — to work with. Because there was a strong, mutual trust and understanding between the choreographer and the dancers, the dancers were able to follow and interpret the choreographer’s intent.

Kim Dong-kyu: As I grow older, I find more beauty in a minimalist approach, taking out rather than filling in. I’ve been serving as art director for the past seven years. Having worked with the dancers for so long, I can sense what they are thinking even if they don’t say anything. Because of this, I’ve become more flexible in my work. Nowadays, I am more concerned about how to create a more natural and comfortable dance rather than how to deliver a clear message and theme. I think getting down to the basics is the best way to get closer to perfection. I would also like LDP to exude a blurry and hazy charm, which I think is more attractive than a distinct color or message.

Kim Dong-kyu: Each year, when it’s time to stage our annual performance, I worry about how to create something that has both artistic merit and popular appeal. There are advantages when one tells a story; however, I believe certain things can be communicated without having to say anything. Our next work will be something a little different from a typical human story. I also want to gather the stories that our dancers want to tell and combine them into a new show. That, after all, is the direction we seek. The pandemic has allowed us to attempt new things. I want to face these new challenges without fearing change and keep moving forward.

Production Details

〈Look Look〉
〈MOB〉
〈MOMBURIM〉
〈Lavender, Vender〉

- 2019 ILT Festival, Denmark
- 2019 LAVA Company Guest Choreography, Spain
- 2018 Int’l Tanzmesse NRW Showcase, Germany
- 2018 La Merce, Spain
- 2018 MILANoLTRE Festival, Italy
- 2018 The Istanbul State Opera & Ballet Modern Dance Theatre Istanbul, Guest Choreography, Turkey
- 2016 White Bird Festival, USA
- 2016 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, USA
- 2016 CINARS Showcase, Canada
- 2010 Japan Society Showcase, USA

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