We’ve just returned from our AMAZING international tour of 2024. This tour had two legs – reason why you haven’t heard from me in quite some time! We were gone for a total of 12 days and had the privilege of exploring and dancing in both South Korea AND Vietnam! I have so much to tell you, but we will start with Part 1 – South Korea!

We embarked on a 12 hour flight from Chicago to Seoul, South Korea on Sunday, September 29, 2024. The nine of us company members plus Kia adjusted to the 14-hour time difference and were right on to rehearsal with our Seoul-mates from Choomna Dance Company on Tuesday, October 1! You may remember Choomna as we’ve had a long-lasting relationship with the dancers and their director, Joseph Kim, for seven years running. Joseph and Kia met on Facebook and formed a connection that has led us to dancing with them and collaborating on choreography throughout the past few seasons. It’s wonderful to have a beautiful relationship with a company so far away.

The 12 of us dancers collaborated on a new piece that premiered at the Seoul International Dance Festival in Tank! Our movement surpassed language barriers and we had the most beautiful outdoor stage venue to premiere our work on. In addition to rehearsing and performing, Joseph and his dancers showed us such a fun time in Korea. One of my favorite nights was when Joseph reserved a Korean barbecue restaurant for us. He ordered us his favorite meats, we chatted non-stop, laughing from across the tables. After dinner, we went to Karaoke in which we sang our favorite songs from both countries. It was the most fun night eating Korean food, exploring the city, and having the most fun with our Korean friends!

Between dancing and exploring, laughing and rehearsing, we appreciated a new culture and learned so much about collaboration. We love our Choreographic Diplomacy program and we are privileged to have kept such an amazing relationship with Choomna!

Stay tuned for PART TWO of our wonderful tour!