Any discussion of contemporary dancers currently in the spotlight in the dance world would be incomplete without mention of Cha Jin Yeob. Besides being a dancer of superlative skill, as well as a great beauty, she is quickly gaining recognition for her skills as a choreographer. In popular culture, Cha is widely known for her frequent appearances on TV programs, in makeup ads, and in fashion magazines, a source of intrigue to those captivated by her. As a professional artist, Cha has chosen to express her personal narrative as monologue about a life obsessed with dance, realized through her piece Dance, She… Crazy.

A Superlative Dancer Receiving Attention as a Choreographer

Q Shim Jeong-min : You’re an outstanding dancer, not only in technique, expression, and your command of the stage but also in your external appearance. You also have a career of diverse activities on a global stage.

Cha Jin Yeob(Henceforth "Cha") : I received the opportunity to work with overseas choreographers after 2000. Having worked with a variety of choreographers for brief periods, I started at the London Contemporary Dance School in 2004, and that’s when I started working with overseas dance companies in earnest. When I arrived in London, the first performance I saw was from the Hofesh Shechter Company. Although they were just starting out at the time, they had something clearly unique about them. And just as I was thinking that I wanted to dance with them, Hofesh Shechter saw me dance and asked me to join his company. Later, in 2006, I officially joined the NDD/ Galili Dance Company and was able to dance in a variety of pieces with some of the world’s foremost choreographers—an experience I really treasure. I was able to not only learn, indirectly, how to move as a dancer but also how to create pieces as a choreographer.

Q. You began expanding your activities to include choreography around 2010, and it’s encouraging that rather than using your presence as a dancer as a weapon, you faithfully continued to raise the quality of your pieces. Whether we’re talking about Rotten Apple, or Dance, She… Crazy, it seems that, starting in 2014, you were firmly committed to the choreography track.  

Cha : After returning to South Korea in 2008, I was busy with work as a dancer. In my mind, however, I had a thirst to create—shall I say, a desire to create something independently, and to achieve something. I was still in this period in 2009 and, after being invited to a performance of young dancers selected by critics, I was able to show my piece See-Through. I had no ambition to receive attention as a choreographer from my first piece; I just wanted to perform the pieces I created and consistently grow as a choreographer. I was happy when, after that, I received attention for Rotten Apple and Dance, She… Crazy. I still believe that I have a long way to go, though. There is a lot I want to try, creatively, and I definitely have a desire to do better. 

Even in an Elaborate Fusion, Movement Is Ultimately Central

‘Dance, She… Crazy’: A Monologue on the Life of One Who Is Crazy about Dance

Q. Dance, She… Crazy, which was selected for this year’s PAMS Choice, illustrates, with almost an hour of solo dancing, a life obsessed with dance. The sensuous video, recalling an advertisement or a trailer for a feature film, the realistic and symbolic sets, the minimalist and sophisticated lighting, and even the emotive and sometimes strange music—each aspect artfully contributed to a sense of completion in your dance monologue. Moreover, as a dancer who excels at performing her own creations, I consider you to be irreplaceable. How would you describe this piece?

Cha : Dance, She… Crazy is based on two spaces being used as the backdrop. One space represents my public persona; the other represents my private persona. Although I’ve heard myself described as a passionate and audacious dancer, I’m also a woman who likes to, harmoniously, collect and create things. In the performance, along with videos of past pieces, trivial props such as wine, candles, toys, and mirror balls also make an appearance. I frequently hear that my public persona differs from my private persona, but because both are both the real "me," I don’t notice any difference. And there are many people who misunderstand my public persona. … Dance, She… Crazy is a piece that projects these dual personas—which are both me—just as they are.

The Possibility and Problems of Young Dancers Go Overseas

Q. Through PAMS Choice, young artists like you are able to receive financial support for overseas performances. But while being invited to major festivals or theaters overseas is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity, simply going overseas does not always result in a meaningful experience. In your case, for example, because if you’ve been invited to festivals or theaters in countries where the dance environment is inferior to that of South Korea, it’s hard to talk about fruitfulness in overseas expansion. Therefore, I believe that when it comes to institutions that fund overseas expansion, it’s important for them to ascertain the caliber of the overseas festivals and theaters and to rank the opportunities accordingly. What, in your opinion, are some of the possibilities for overseas expansion for young dancers and some of the problems that arise?

Cha : For me, receiving definite recognition and firmly establishing myself on the domestic stage, the nest of my activities—this is the top priority. The idea of going on an overseas tour for the sake of a few extra lines on one’s resume, without real results—that is, an overseas performance without much significance—doesn’t appeal to me too much. Globalization has resulted in excellent networks between countries and their art worlds, so if you continue to present good pieces domestically, festivals and theaters from other countries will start to notice, and when time passes overseas invitations will happen naturally. This is the standard path: to receive recognition for one’s abilities at home and gradually move to a global stage. Once you’re at that stage, an artist can seek out aid from funding organizations, and that’s how you can get the most out of your overseas tour.

Q. The dance world has far more female dancers than male dancers. When considering the poor creative conditions and the onslaught of male dancers, however, it’s becoming more and more difficult for female dancers who perform independently. Despite these conditions, you have managed to raise your profile as a developing artist. More recently, for example, you’ve begun to establish yourself as someone who leads young female dancers who dance independently. Therein lies the very reason that your activities don’t merely represent the achievements of a single individual, but are also significant as a model for female dancers in the dance world.

Cha : Although most of the dance world consists of female dancers, it’s true that at the creation stage, women are less in the spotlight compared to male dancers. I myself have thought deeply about this reality in many ways, and because I’m also aware that female dancers who have debuted after me are watching to see what I do, I want to continue my activities without faltering, for their sake if for nothing else. I try to make time to converse with them, and as someone who has experienced certain things before, I try to be generous with offering advice. Ultimately, I think this is something we all have to work toward improving, together.