'Killing Hierarchy' Choreographer Kim Gwan-ji [Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Resale and DB prohibited]

 "I posit a world without genres as an ideal, and in the process of moving toward that, I want to do what I can. It is about dismantling what audiences have come to expect and continuously presenting different possibilities."

Choreographer Kim Gwan-ji expressed a determination to break down the limitations and hierarchies that emerge as genres become stagnant through the immersive contemporary dance piece, 'Killing Hierarchy'.

In a roundtable interview held at the Artist Lounge of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on the 20th, he emphasized, "Just as water stagnates and spoils if it remains unchanged, hierarchies deteriorate when they become static, and genres face limitations when they become fixed. I am constantly searching for ways to argue this point persuasively."

'Killing Hierarchy' is one of the programs in 'Sync Next 26', a series of special performances that the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts launched on the 3rd, running through September 5th at the Sejong S Theater. 'Sync Next', which debuted in 2022, serves as a stage for challenging and experimental art that transcends genre boundaries. This year, 16 teams of artists from diverse fields—including contemporary dance, traditional music, mask dance, and circus—will present a total of 10 programs.

'Killing Hierarchy' is a work by choreographer Kim Gwan-ji, who has long reconstructed the traditional sensibilities of Korean dance with contemporary imagination, incorporating quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and mythical narratives.

He explained, "The performance I am preparing is highly improvisational. I created this piece while pondering how to make the space of the Sejong Center feel more like an open plaza or an agora."

'Killing Hierarchy' will meet audiences through workshops and a total of three performances from the 24th to the 27th.

Led by Kim Gwan-ji, a total of 17 performers, including eight dancers such as Pyo Hye-in and Jung Pil-gyun, along with nine musicians, will participate.

Choreographer Kim Gwan-ji, dancer Pyo Hye-in, and dancer Jung Pil-gyun (from left) [Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Resale and DB prohibited]

Rather than repeating fixed interpretations or set movements, the work takes the form of a 'nanjang' (a chaotic, celebratory gathering), maximizing audience participation and on-site improvisation to create a different 'phenomenon' with every performance.

Regarding the title of the work, Kim Gwan-ji explained, "It is about striking down the inertia that keeps building up in our individual lives. I asked the performers to strike down their own accumulated inertia, and their individual narratives are contained within that process."

He emphasized, "Instead of presenting a predetermined performance format, I wanted to place the audience and performers on an unpredictable 'threshold' by shattering existing conventions. The goal is to be continuously exposed to the unknown, allowing each person to create their own perspective and interpretation within that state."

This dissolution of hierarchy extends to a production design that breaks down the boundary between the stage and the audience.

The performance begins with dancers herding the audience in from the theater lobby and even involves distributing props like aluminum foil or flashlights to the spectators.

The audience members are not merely passive viewers; they become active participants who exist as 'one body' alongside the performers on stage.

Choreographer Kim Gwan-ji, dancer Pyo Hye-in, and dancer Jung Pil-gyun (from left) [Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Resale and DB prohibited]

Dancer Pyo Hye-in said, "This is not a performance that shows a fixed answer or a perfect frame; it presents the most honest state of performers who are aware and making choices in every moment. Audiences will experience a link, like a mirror, where they can reflect on themselves while watching that honesty."

Dancer Jung Pil-gyun added, "The greatest charm of this work is its sense of immediacy, which completely defies the expectation of 'this is how the show will proceed' like traditional performances. It will be an experience of dissolving the gap between performers and the audience, feeling the moment together in the same space."

In this work, which posits a future where technology is so advanced that it transcends even human linguistic communication, the ultimate point the choreographer wants to reach is the human 'body'.

Kim Gwan-ji said, "No matter how god-like an AI may become, the most essential thing about humans is, in the end, the physical body. I want to share the immersion that occurs in the space of the body with the audience and help them rediscover the original joy of dance." [Yonhap News]