In this work for five dancers, Kim explores her roots and her life’s journey on three continents. A native of Japan, Kim is of Korean descent who studied dance and performed in Europe and the US. In this work, long fabric strands are used as a metaphorical “fan” (a key element of Korean Dance) of one’s life and all the spokes that connect to form one individual…one soul. Like the bamboo fan, the spokes move away from the base and then it folds back together. All the parts are equal and connected as are our life experiences. Each dancer represents one of those spokes or aspects of life. Kim wishes to incorporate the “essence” of Korean rhythm and dance. It was, in fact, these elements which kept her culture and identity alive while growing up in Japan. The arts rooted her while her environs made her question her identity. The highly acclaimed musician/composer Greg Wall, a long-time musical collaborator with Carolyn Dorfman, and Shai Barchar created the commissioned score incorporating live Korean drumming with electronic elements. As Ae-Soon’s life has integrated her East-West influences, so too the music reflects these diverse influences.
