A sublime evocation of life; a danced ritual for our times.

Most dances from all over the world originated from ‘religious rites’. Burnt Offering, winner of the Best Production award at the 2nd Seoul Arts Awards at the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, invites us to consider what new rituals we need, what we might pray for, and how we can draw on the traditions of the past. It is based on the traditional dance ‘Seungmu’, and uses Korean music, voice and dance to express the contemporary stories that are burning within us.

Dancers gather at the alter and offer their sacrifices one by one. They are caught up in repetitive daily routines, their life burning away without meaning, but when they look up, clouds of incense float into the air, and a dance commences which burns with a noble spirit, enveloping all the senses, to resonate with the soul.

In a world that grinds us down, this is a ‘burnt offering’ for meaning, beauty and peace.

A Festival of Korean Dance 2024, including Kontemporary Korea, is supported by Korean Cultural Centre UK and Korea Arts Management Service, produced in partnership with The Place, The Lowry, Tramway, Dance City and Pavilion Dance South West.