MODAFE, The New Wave #3

[Performance Introduction] MODAFE (International Contemporary Dance Festival), which has led the flow of contemporary dance in the Republic of Korea, has been opening new horizons for contemporary dance art for over 40 years. Moving beyond a simple arts festival, MODAFE has established itself as a prestigious dance festival that shares artworks from around the world and provides creative opportunities for artists, earning deep trust from both domestic and international artists. To date, through MODAFE, approximately 200 overseas organizations and 440 domestic organizations have participated, with more than 1,300 works staged. The international networks and artistic solidarity built through the festival have grown MODAFE into a global platform that attracts choreographers and dance companies worldwide. Evolving every year into new and more inclusive forms, MODAFE will celebrate its 45th year in 2026. Under the theme "MODAFE Beyond Time, Beyond Dreams," it aims to share an artistic experience and a venue for international exchange that transcends the boundaries of time and dreams. Today, MODAFE seeks to continue its growth as a global festival and promote the diverse artistic values and meanings of contemporary dance, serving as a platform where various nations and artists share their creative worlds and expand the field of artistic communication beyond boundaries. Work Introduction Yotam Peled & the Free Radicals <migrena2x2> Choreographer Introduction Yotam Peled (1985, Israel) is a choreographer and performer who grew up with a foundation in fine arts, sports, and Capoeira, later expanding his scope into dance and contemporary circus. Since 2015, he has been active based in Berlin, collaborating with various European choreographers while developing his own creative work, which has been presented on major stages across Europe and Asia. His solo work <Boys Don’t Cry> gained attention by winning awards at various international festivals, and he has expanded his choreographic repertoire with works such as Entropia (2018) and ALPHA (2019). In particular, ALPHA was created under the mentorship of Hofesh Shechter at the TalentLAB#19 of the Grand Theatre of Luxembourg. Alongside this, he continues to engage in various international residencies and commissions, while actively working as an educator and collaborator at major European arts institutions. Work Description <migrena2x2> is a complex solo performance unfolding in a limited space made of fragments of memory, introducing tension and the use of objects. This work is an abstract and modern reinterpretation of the biblical story of Jonah, exploring the concept of prophecy by delving into the unconscious and confronting trauma and fantasy. The burden carried by the performer is embodied through kettlebells, and the process of shedding them is revealed through a ritual unfolding on the boundary between prayer and rave. As patterns of intense movement escalate, the body gradually deconstructs, decomposes, melts, and surrenders, awakening both limbs and organs into abstract matter—namely, space. This releases hidden spaces and surfaces, reaches catharsis, and ultimately leads to self-awareness. Choreography and Performance: Yotam Peled Project Management and Distribution: Laia Montoya / TINA agency Production: Sofia Fantuzzi Documentation: Valentin Braun Duration: 30 minutes C.SENSE <Small Perfection> Group and Choreographer Introduction Art group C.SENSE is an independent arts collective that conducts various creative activities, including performances and dance films, based on contemporary dance. They interpret contemporary life issues through the unique lens of C.SENSE. As the name "Crude + Sense" implies, they continue to pursue diverse works that are not confined to specific genres, centering on unrefined, instinctive senses and physical language. From 2016 to 2018, they served as members of the German dance company cie. toula limnaios. After returning to Korea, they participated in various works such as the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company's <Sublimation>, <Unprotected>, <Shut Up, Womb>, and <We Had No Choice But to Move>, continuing collaborations with domestic and international choreographers. Their representative choreographic works include <Meteor>, <Small Perfection>, and <Paradise>. Currently, they serve as the representative and choreographer of Art Group C.SENSE. Work Description <Small Perfection> is a work that applies the artistic technique of "mosaic" to physical movement, depicting the process where small gestures are generated and accumulated like fragments, expanding into collective movement. Starting from Michelangelo's thought, "Small things make perfection," the work explores the moment when individual movements, through collision and cooperation, form a social structure, and the "perfection" that is created within it. Choreography: Lee Dae-ho Performance: Lee Dae-ho, Park Jeong-hwi, Ryu Ji-su, Lee Hak Composition and Musician: Kim Hyeon-su Duration: 25 minutes HAMHEEWONTHEATER <Passengers> Group and Choreographer Introduction HAMHEEWONTHEATER is a contemporary dance company that develops unique movement methods and directing techniques based on a method of three-dimensionalizing images, presenting sensory yet narrative stages. The company's works coexist with dynamism, delicacy, humor, and philosophical messages, forming an intuitive emotional resonance for the audience. Choreographer Ham Hee-won communicates images and philosophical thoughts regarding themes in a way that is easily understandable for the audience, and her humor is embedded within the diverse compositions of her expanding works. As a choreographer who naturally and sophisticatedly fuses popularity and artistry, Ham Hee-won presents trendy stages that are not difficult art, but rather something anyone can empathize with and enjoy. Work Description It reveals the strange cracks hidden within familiar spaces of movement. Scenes are scattered like small tragedies that no one notices. This work tells of the unexplained anxieties and invisible stories that hide even within the ordinary spaces we pass by. Choreography: Ham Hee-won Performance: Ham Hee-won, Choi Yeong-hyeon, Choi Hyeong-gyu, Kim A-won, Heo Je-na Duration: 25 minutes