The OC family is filled with many slashies: sales associate slash astrologer, legal counsel slash karaoke queen, buyer slash DJ, photographer slash reality TV star—the list goes on. But knitwear designer slash professional dancer? Benjamin Gaspard is said slashie. Dancing for almost seven years, Benjamin is performing with the Ko-Ryo Dance Theater tonight through Friday, October 19th. Obviously we needed to know more, so I sat in on one of the company’s rehearsals and later spoke with Ben and choreographer Sunhwa Chung.
Born in Pusan, Korea, Sunhwa founded the theater company in 2001, after training for many years in Korean traditional dance, ballet, and modern dance. The company itself is made up of dancers from all walks of life and countries—Australia, France, Japan, Sweden, and of course Korea, to name a few. “This is my first project with Ben,” said Sunhwa after rehearsal, “I met him last year through one of my dancers in Graham Company II.” Ben added, “I liked the intensity of her work: it is quite physcially challenging. I also like how her dance looks like sign language—it uses a lot of gestures from everyday life.”
Tonight’s performance, Arirang: 동행 We Go Beyond the Crossroad, displays Sunhwa’s renowned ability to communicate human stories and emotion without resorting to narrative. In its place are personal and creative expression between the eight dancers and a series of acrobatic theatrics. At the height of one piece, the dancers splinter into small ensembles—darting from here to there, literally bouncing off walls and leaping off chairs. The dancers are relating to and interpreting Sunhwa’s experience of coming to the United States from Korea in 1994. “[At the time,] I felt a need to remain close to my roots, but also to become secure enough to venture outside my culture and learn to accept the new customs and ideas of America… the dance portrays my mental and emotional struggle to understand and create a new identity as a performer and choreographer.” Traditional Korean dance also informs the choreography: Of Love and Memories, the first performance, recalls the bittersweet life of the Kisaeng. “This was a unique social class of Korean society, roughly equivalent to the geishas of Japan. Though the Kisaeng were skilled in poetry, singing, and musical instruments, most members of traditional Korean society looked down on them. This piece recalls their deep passion and affection,” said Sunhwa. Chuka Haeyo, Sunhwa and félicitations, Ben!
DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM (DNA)
280 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, NY, 10007
MAP![]()
Sunhwa in perfomance. All performance images by Lexi Namer
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Go Ben!
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Born in Pusan, Korea, Sunhwa founded the theater company in 2001, after training for many years in Korean traditional dance, ballet, and modern dance. The company itself is made up of dancers from all walks of life and countries—Australia, France, Japan, Sweden, and of course Korea, to name a few. “This is my first project with Ben,” said Sunhwa after rehearsal, “I met him last year through one of my dancers in Graham Company II.” Ben added, “I liked the intensity of her work: it is quite physcially challenging. I also like how her dance looks like sign language—it uses a lot of gestures from everyday life.”
Tonight’s performance, Arirang: 동행 We Go Beyond the Crossroad, displays Sunhwa’s renowned ability to communicate human stories and emotion without resorting to narrative. In its place are personal and creative expression between the eight dancers and a series of acrobatic theatrics. At the height of one piece, the dancers splinter into small ensembles—darting from here to there, literally bouncing off walls and leaping off chairs. The dancers are relating to and interpreting Sunhwa’s experience of coming to the United States from Korea in 1994. “[At the time,] I felt a need to remain close to my roots, but also to become secure enough to venture outside my culture and learn to accept the new customs and ideas of America… the dance portrays my mental and emotional struggle to understand and create a new identity as a performer and choreographer.” Traditional Korean dance also informs the choreography: Of Love and Memories, the first performance, recalls the bittersweet life of the Kisaeng. “This was a unique social class of Korean society, roughly equivalent to the geishas of Japan. Though the Kisaeng were skilled in poetry, singing, and musical instruments, most members of traditional Korean society looked down on them. This piece recalls their deep passion and affection,” said Sunhwa. Chuka Haeyo, Sunhwa and félicitations, Ben!
DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM (DNA)
280 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, NY, 10007
MAP
Sunhwa in perfomance. All performance images by Lexi Namer
Go Ben!
