Ahn Ae-Soon

Ahn Ae-Soon

Born in 1960, Ahn graduated from the Dance Department of Ewha Womans University and then received a Doctor of Science degree from Hanyang University.
In 1985, she formed the Ahn Ae-soon Dance Company. Invitations to perform at international festivals include the Yokohama Dance Collection, Festival Global Dance, Singapore Arts Festival, Festival Internacional Cervantino, Dance Triennale Tokyo, Korean Dance Museum and others. Her unique creative style that seeks to express traditional Korean culture and philosophy as well as Korean dance movement through contemporary dance has won the attention of critics. Her awards include the choreography award of the 1998 Bagnolet Choreographer Competition, the 2000 Korean Dance Critics Award, the 2003 best choreographer award The Modern Dance Promotion of Korea and the 2004 Arts Council Korea artist of the year award.
For her activities in musicals, Ahn is also the recipient of the choreography award of the Korean Musical Awards in 1997 and 2006 and the choreography award of the 2007 Musical Awards. From 1985 to 2013 she was artistic director of the Ahn Ae-soon Dance Company, from 2010 to 2012 she served as artistic director of the Hanguk Performing Arts Center and the Seoul Performing Arts Festival. As of July 2013 Ahn is artistic director of the Korean National Contemporary Dance Company.