Interview: Tall and assured, Lee Sang-eun finds freedom in contemporary ballet

Korea Herald

07-05-2025

English National Ballet lead principal Lee Sang-eun performs in Asia premiere of Johan Inger's 'Walking Mad' with Seoul Metropolitan Ballet
Dancers move tirelessly to the gradually intensifying beat of Ravel's "Bolero" -- climbing over, crashing into or vanishing behind a large wooden wall. In the midst all this seeming chaos, one dancer stood out: tall, assured and unmistakably at home.
At 181 centimeters tall, Lee Sang-eun, lead principal dancer of the English National Ballet, is impossible to miss.
Lee is in Seoul to perform as a guest artist in the Asian premiere of 'Walking Mad,' part of a double bill with 'Bliss' by acclaimed Swedish choreographer Johan Inger. The Seoul Metropolitan Ballet's production runs from Friday to May 18 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
"I first encountered 'Walking Mad' in 2013 as an understudy at the Semperoper Ballett Dresden,' Lee recalled in an interview with The Korea Herald at a rehearsal studio on Nodeul Island. 'I was promoted to principal in 2016, and that's when I finally had the chance to perform on stage. Coming back to it now -- nearly a decade later, and here in Korea -- feels deeply meaningful and joyful.'
Having spent many years with ballet companies in Europe, she is no stranger to Inger's works. She performed in several, including "Peer Gynt" and 'Carmen,' for which the choreographer won the Benois de la Danse in 2016, and the experience has made her quite familiar with his movement language.
'Inger's works capture universal stories that resonate emotionally, with a visceral, honest and deeply human quality. That's why I feel his works have such a grounded essence,' said Lee.
She suggested audiences tune in closely to the music. 'There are moments where movement and emotion connect through feeling alone. The music becomes a bridge, deepening the narrative. As a performer, I find myself most inspired when that synchronization between music, choreography and dancer happens naturally. That's when it becomes magical.'
Seoul Metropolitan Ballet, a contemporary ballet company which inaugurated its season just last year, had sought Lee for a collaboration, as she perfectly aligns with the company's identity.
Lee joined Universal Ballet in 2005 but left Korea to pursue more diverse and contemporary opportunities in Europe. In 2010, she joined Semperoper Ballett Dresden, where she danced until 2023. She then joined the English National Ballet when Aaron Watkin, the former artistic director of Semperoper, took the helm at the ENB. Over the past 20 years, she has performed in major repertory works, with choreographic luminaries such as Ohad Naharin and William Forsythe.
This is the first time she is presenting a full-length contemporary work to a Korean audience, and Lee is particularly excited about the evolving dance scene in her home country.
'I left Korea partly to pursue more contemporary ballet, and now to see a company here embracing that, with legendary choreographers coming to Korea for the show, it's truly encouraging.'
When she left, contemporary ballet was still a fringe interest in Korea, but it was when she danced a contemporary ballet piece that she 'truly felt free.'
That sense of freedom was also closely tied to her physicality. Standing at 181 cm, Lee struggled to find compatible partners and roles in Korea.
"Unlike classical ballet, where you must perfect your technique within a fixed framework, contemporary ballet is a collaborative process where both the choreographer and the dancer create in an open, evolving world. I really enjoy this creative process."
Ironically, she said that after years of dancing contemporary ballet, she found a sense of freedom even within the constraints of classical ballet.
'Because of my height, I did wonder if I could continue ballet and eventually accepted that there might be limits," said Lee. "But despite that, it was still so rewarding. It was always a new challenge, constantly learning, and continuously failing -- and all those processes were all part of the growth.'