A scene from ballet "Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven" in 2025 / Courtesy of M Ballet Company
When Korean independence activist Ahn Jung-geun was executed at Lushun Prison in Dalian, China, in 1910, he left behind his final words: that when he heard news of Korea’s liberation from heaven, he would dance and cheer. More than a century later, a Seoul ballet company is trying to give him that dance.
M Ballet Company is reviving “Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” in commemoration of Korea’s Independence Movement Day, which falls on March 1. The production honors Ahn by depicting his life and sacrifices through dance while tracing the emotional toll the independence struggle took on his family.
“It can be tough subject matter for dance, but we’ve restaged this with nonstop action, eliminating any dull moments. It will be an ideal piece for families to enjoy together,” M Ballet Company director Yang Young-eun told The Korea Times during an interview in Seoul on Tuesday.
After opening in southwestern city of Gwangju earlier this month, the troupe will bring the ballet to Seoul on March 7 and 8, followed by a performance in Daegu on March 12.
Ahn is best known for assassinating Ito Hirobumi, the first Japanese resident-general of Korea, at Harbin Railway Station in China in October 1909. He was imprisoned and executed the following year and was posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1962.
The ballet "Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven" will feature dancers Park Gwan-woo, right, playing Ahn Jung-geun, and Yeom Da-yeon as Ahn's wife in the Seoul and Daegu shows / Courtesy of M Ballet Company
“Ahn Jung-geun, a Dance in the Heaven” opens with a scene where Ahn is transferred to Lushun Prison, after which his life unfolds in flashback. A brief prologue featuring his mother leads into his wedding scene. From there, the ballet covers the upheavals of late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) history, with projected images of a nation in turmoil, the establishment of the Japanese Residency-General and Ahn’s decision to leave for the Russian Far East to join resistance forces.
That is followed by battle scenes featuring muscular physicality. Male corps dancers hurtle down a sliding ramp built into the orchestra pit, underscoring the ferocity of guerrilla warfare. The production closes with Ahn assassinating Ito and being taken to prison, where he is executed.
What makes the production distinctive is its expanded portrayal of Ahn’s wife, Kim A-ryeo. Little is known about her from historical documents, but Yang, who wrote the ballet, said she felt deep sympathy for the wife who lost her husband in the fight to save the nation.
Source: Korea Times News
