Namjin Kim (South Korea)

Begging…

Performances:
15 August 2007, 8pm
Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore

Synopsis

According to my memory, it was during a winter in the city of London.
Like all the other big cities, it carries the sadness that comes from the cold indifferences between the busy people on the streets…
The constant sound of a beggar pleading spread throughout the train and the fact that no one tried to help or cared about the beggar made me sad.
What was the homeless begging for?
My sadness does not come from the winter’s cold, nor the hunger inside of me.
But it comes from the eyes that do not give me even a glance.
I beg…
I look up to you.

Choreography: Namjin Kim
Music: “Tale Blue Eyes” by Velvet Underground
Dancers: Namjin Kim & Jung Ki-Jung

NAMJIN KIM
Choreographer / Dancer

“It is clear that Kim Nam-Jin is a contemporary dancer who is trying to find the base of his existence between the world and dance and also discover his reasons for dancing and verify those reasons.” (Lee Yun-Taek, Producer)

After a 3-year acting career, Namjin Kim graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor in Dance from Kyungsung University (Korea). In 2005, he obtained his professional dance diploma in Paris, France. From 1988 until 1995, Namjin Kim worked as a dancer for ZOOM Contemporary Dance Company in Korea, and founded the Trust Contemporary Dance Company in 1995.

He was the first Korean to dance with the French national dance company C.C.N.R.B. (from 1998 until 2002) and with the Danish contemporary dance company Les Ballets C de la B (from 2002 until 2006). During this period, he was inspired by artists such as Wim Vandekeybus, Ohad Naharin, Rui Horta and Meg Stuart. His biggest influence, however, is Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui from Les Ballets C de la B.

Namjin has received several awards, which include the Grand prize of the 6th concourse of Korean Contemporary Dance Association as well as the Grand prize of the 10th Korean Dance Concourse for Undergraduates in 1992, the 1st prize at the 30th Rising Dance of the Year in 1993, and the Grand prize at the 12th Dance Concourse by KBS (1994).

Namjin continues his dance career in France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. He has also expanded his career to the U.S.A., Canada, Peru, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.

As a choreographer, Namjin has gained national and international reputation. His piece ‘Begging’ was premiered in February 2006 at the Arko Arts Theater in Seoul. Other creations by Namjin Kim are ‘As a rolling Leaf’ (2000), ‘Half’ (2002), ‘Story of B’ (2006), and ‘Short Piece for Young‐Joon Ahn’ (2000, premiered with the Grand prize at Paris International Dance Concourse)

JUNG KI-JUNG
Dancer

Jung Ki-Jung did her Master in Arts & Physical Education at Silla University (Korea), and studied at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in France. She has received numerous awards including the Grand Prize at the 1st Next Generation Choreographer Festival and the 2005 Best Dancer Prize from The Korea Dance Promotion Association. She is the president of the dance company “Yeon Bun Hong “, and works as a lecturer at Silla University and Dong-Seo University in Busan. As a choreographer, Jung Ki-Jung was involved in the 14th Asian Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.