Summary

Introduce

In Cheok, the choreographer fully expands on the theme of the volume of time and the uniqueness of bodily space.
By reflecting on diverse bodily experiences that forge connections and cultivate a sense of place within and beyond the body, the work explores the unique world that is born from the interplay of similarities and differences. It exposes the paradox of the body, which generates a sense of place but inevitably fades away.

Cheok was performed in 2024 at The Place in London and The Lowry in Manchester, as well as at the Jeongdong Theater and the National Asian Culture Center in Korea.

Information

Where is our body? How do we derive the standards by which we judge and objectify the world? This body, with its ability to sense the “present,” moves non-linearly through time. It delves into the past by drawing upon “memories” and “history,” and extends into the future through “premonition,” envisioning a fictional time.
Experiencing and moving across the realms of memory and premonition, the body acts as a medium for storing and releasing energy in a specific place. However, the body’s impermanence allows this energy to be released in a different context, shaping a distinct space. Therefore, constant practice is essential for the body to approach a higher plane of existence.
Cheok begins with the concept of the individual body and extends it to encompass space and place. It depicts the perspective of a mortal body, including its perception of time and space. This exploration is expressed through architectural structures and transcendental movements. The body’s energy creates space and becomes embedded within that space and time. The act of moving is analogous to building space. If that space can embrace personal experiences and private time, transforming it into a place and a work of architecture, then the dancer can build, expand, remove, and restore space on stage.
After the dancers’ bodies create their own existence and depart, the music, lighting, stage design, and video that accompanied their movements give shape to their physical presence through architectural elements. Although individual bodies may vanish, the history of their traces endures. What do our bodies construct and leave behind in this world? The body that inhabits the present will eventually cease to exist, but its actions will leave an imprint on the distant future.