The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

Modern Table Dance Company: Sok-do (Velocity) at The Place

Modern Table Dance Company: Sok-do (Velocity) at The Place | Theatre review
2 June 2019
Catherine Sedgwick
Avatar
Catherine Sedgwick
2 June 2019

The Korean Dance Festival at The Place – brought to us via the Korean Cultural Centre and the Korea Arts Management Service – presents through dance a variety of historical and current facets of the country’s national heritage, as well as ideas and concepts that unites us as a global community 

One of the five companies in the Festival this summer, the Modern Table Dance Company displays a fascinating stage genre rarely seen in the UK. Choreographer Kim Jae-duk presents Sok-do (Velocity), which combines traditional Korean forms with rock, hip-hop and vocals – resulting in a stunning, artistically compelling, immensely innovative modern ballet. As a pastiche of styles, the work merges the medium with multi-dimensional performance art.

With his all-male troupe Modern Table, Kim has created in Sok-do an arrangement of intuitive movement around the theme of velocity. Focusing on the idea of the effect of speed on motion, the piece examines the range and variation of states produced as velocity changes, exhibiting, for example, that slowness can engender boredom or inertia and great speed can cause fear or alarm

Known for their intriguing lighting, the company’s skilful spotlighting accents the sketches as visual vignettes. Captivating music on stringed instrumentals – Korean Ajaeng – and dynamic drumbeats accompany the performance of the eight dancers. With beautifully fluid, brilliantly coordinated choreography, rhythmic circular movements alternate with vigorous activity, intensity is followed by sudden stillness. The choreography seems at times like acrobatics and at others appears to mimic martial arts. It is at one moment calm and serene, then exciting, producing a sense of angst. Vocalisations are often somewhat aggressive, evoking expressions of tension or pain.

Highly acclaimed in Korea and around the world, Modern Table makes a strong statement with Sok-do (Velocity) as a noteworthy triumph by cutting-edge artists who stand out as creative trendsetters in the contemporary dance arena.

★★★★★

Catherine Sedgwick
Photo: Lee Jin-Young

Modern Table Dance Company: Sok-do (Velocity) was at The Place on 31st May as part of A Festival of Korean Dance, which runs until 7th June 2019. For further information and events visit the festival’s website here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher

Mersa Auda
Read More

We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online

★★★★★
Samuel Nicholls
Read More

We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks

Mersa Auda
Read More

Public Domain at Southwark Playhouse

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre: Centre stage for diversity

★★★★★
James Humphrey
Read More

RSC Next Generation: Young Bloods proves Shakespeare is timeless

Brooke Snowe
Read More

An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories

Selina Begum
Read More

A Livestream with David Bedella at Crazy Coqs Online

★★★★★
Regan Harle
Read More

Undercover at Morpheus Show Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Catherine Sedgwick

Sok-do (Velocity)

★★★★★

Dates

31st May - 7th June 2019

Price

£13-£17

Links & directions

TwitterFacebookWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites – Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Persian Lessons
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • 23 Walks
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher
    Theatre
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Boris the Musical 2: Brexit Harder at King’s Head Theatre | Theatre review
San Francisco Ballet: Liang / Marston / Pita at Sadler’s Wells | Theatre review