KB News Desk
Gathering in Seoul, international directors call for more opportunities for choreographers, less self-criticism and greater investment in creativity
Eight current and former artistic directors from some of the world’s leading ballet companies, including American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet and the Mariinsky Ballet, gathered in Seoul on Thursday for the opening of the 2026 Seoul Global Ballet Forum.
Participants discussed the achievements of Korean dancers on international stages and what Korean ballet needs to take another step forward globally.
The forum was organized by Kim Sun-hee, an emeritus professor at the Korea National University of Arts’ School of Dance who has trained hundreds of dancers over 30 years.
The artistic directors agreed that Korean dancers’ greatest strengths are their strong technical foundations and work ethic, attributes they said stem from rigorous education and training systems that emphasize fundamental technique.
But they said dancers must now move beyond simply trying to become better and develop their own artistic identities and creativity.
Sascha Radetsky, artistic director of ABT Studio Company, said the flip side of being highly committed, driven and focused is that dancers can be overly hard on themselves.
“I think we have to allow space for them to take risks and sometimes fail, but still have confidence in themselves,” Radetsky said during a press conference ahead of the forum Thursday.
Susan Jaffe, artistic director of American Ballet Theatre, said Korean dancers, perhaps because of a culture of humility, tend to focus more on their weaknesses than dancers of other nationalities.
“We don’t see weaknesses when students come out of school. They’re exactly where they need to be to be in the company and to grow in the company,” Jaffe said. “So my advice is to stop focusing on what you’re weak at and start celebrating what you’re great at, because you really should feel very proud of what is coming out of Korea.”
Another challenge identified for Korean ballet was developing choreographers who can support and draw out dancers’ creativity.
Jaffee stressed the importance of exposing young dancers to a wide range of choreographers and works.
“The most important thing, I think, for young people is to be exposed to great choreography,” she said. “And not just exposed to Korean choreography, but to the global choreography of dance and ballet in the world.”
Christopher Hampson of Scottish Ballet said supporting creativity requires broader cultural investment.
“It’s a cultural investment from the nation, from the community, to make sure creativity is valued and to make sure creativity is put out into the world at every point possible,” he said.
Participants also hoped the forum would become more than a one-time event and serve as an ongoing platform for exchange between the Korean and international ballet communities.
The forum runs through Saturday. The program includes master classes led by artistic directors and a gala performance, “A Midsummer Night’s Ballet Festival,” featuring dancers including Mariinsky Ballet’s Jeon Min-chul and American Ballet Theatre principal Park Sun-mi.
