NAVIGATING KOREA’S STREET DANCE SCENE AS A FOREIGNER

by Dylan Goh | 12 August 2023
Interview with street dancers Mona and Gabbie

From Toronto and Düsseldorf to Seoul respectively, this episode delves into the Gabbie and Mona’s experiences with street dance classes, jams and communities as foreigners in South Korea. From losing one’s direction in dance to struggles with language barriers, both dancers speak candidly about their challenges and lessons.

From Düsseldorf, Germany, Mona (@de.mona__) developed an interest in popping and contemporary dance after moving to Berlin for university. She also got hooked onto choreography videos from 1MILLION Dance Studio and started following those choreographers on Instagram. After graduating, she sought the thrill of something new and moved to Seoul. Within 2 days of arriving into Korea, Mona was already taking classes with popper Dokyun after a 1MILLION choreographer had done a collaboration with him. Memorable experiences include attending jams at Unity Record Bar, undertaking popping courses with Dokyun and attending Palette Session.

Drawing upon interviews with Gabbie and Mona, this article covers:

• Most difficult part of their dance journey in Korea

• Language barriers during classes and events

• Feeling self-conscious alongside ‘high-level’ dancers

• Biggest surprise about Korea’s street dance scene

• Advice for foreign dancers coming to Korea

MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR DANCE JOURNEY IN KOREA

DYLAN:
What was the most difficult part of your dance journey in Korea?

MONA:
Honestly just to start it and throw myself in there. The hardest part is to go somewhere you’ve never been - it’s unknown.

Also maybe signing up for classes because [the use of] Korean made communication harder sometimes. Most of the time I would send [messages] in English because I was too scared that Papago would do too much bull****. Sometimes [the instructor] would send it back in Korean and I would translate it. Or throw words I know into there.

There was also one class I ended up dropping and [the sign-up process] was a form. You don’t have to talk with an actual person but still it’s all in Korean and with translations sometimes I’m like, “I hope that’s the correct thing they want to know from me.’

GABBIE:
Just how hard I would be on myself after class. Back home taking part in team settings really built my confidence. But after coming here and navigating a new scene, I felt like I lost it and over the past two years, I’ve been trying to put myself in a bubble to get back to that place.

I never felt like I was forcing to connect myself with other people. But just in terms of finding something similar to back home, that was a very naïve mindset to have. Because the Korea and Toronto scene are so different so why would I expect to find something similar here? So I think also just being honest [with myself] like, ‘Okay. If people want to connect, we can celebrate that and foster those connections. But if people don’t, don’t think of it as a burden. Or that it’s on you. There are so many people in this world. You don’t need to ruminate. Just move on and see what else it out there.’

LANGUAGE BARRIERS DURING CLASSES AND EVENTS

DYLAN:
What are some of your experiences with language barriers?

MONA:
Going to Dokyun’s class was super scary because it was my first time. When I arrived, I was lucky because he was in the hallway. So I talked to him and his English was pretty good. He explained to me what the class was about and the class started.

He didn’t talk much. He started doing something and we followed. In between, he explained a bit in Korean. And then he came to me to explain in English.

I felt bad about it because I hate the feeling of getting special treatment. I felt really uncomfortable about it. So after the 2nd class, I was like, 'You don't have to stop the class and explain to me. I can come to you after class.' I hate being special. But obviously in that situation, I am because I'm the only one who can't speak Korean.

GABBIE:
When I first came here, I just took classes because I was worried about the language barrier when it came to training programs. I joined MAJU because it seemed like language barrier wouldn’t be a problem because Haeni’s English is great and the guest choreographer for that season was from the States. There were also so many people who were so willing to help and translate.

They really didn’t have to do that. I was ready to go into the program to just, you know, absorb everything I saw. Cause there should never be an expectation that people are just going to adjust to your level of language and comprehension. I just appreciated how everyone was so open to checking in like, ‘This is what [the instructor] said. Are you finding everything okay?’

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DYLAN:
How did you overcome language barriers during classes and events?

MONA:
Take a friend that speaks both languages with me. [laughs] That was my top strategy at first. Or just throw myself in there and see what happens - was also a strategy. That surprisingly worked out most of the time very well.

Obviously [throwing myself in class] is much more exhausting because I have to focus so so much. But I think dancing is about the body right? So when they explain something, it makes sense even if I just see what they’re pointing at. In the beginning when I came here, I only understood 5%. But that 5% already helped with the combination of body gestures.

It’s crazy how the brain works. Because obviously I remember how it was a struggle but all of it feels so far away now. Everything feels so much easier now. I kind of know how things work and how people are so I’m more comfortable trying out new things.

GABBIE:
When it comes to training programs, I consider the types of people at the training program and whether the language barrier will affect them.

It’s not so much the language barrier with the instructor but the language barrier with other students that has made me hesitate. I was worried about putting [other students] in an uncomfortable position because they’re there [at a training program] to train. So when it comes to partner work, [I was worried about] if they would feel burdened to communicate.

[The other students] don’t have to communicate in English. Most of the time, I’m like, ‘Please explain it in Korean. And I’ll try to understand and we can figure it out.’ But people are so considerate about the language barrier and will do whatever to make sure you’re comfortable. So I’m always mindful of how I can also be comfortable with them.

FEELING SELF-CONSCIOUS ALONGSIDE ‘HIGH-LEVEL’ DANCERS

DYLAN:
What do you think about the level of dance in Korea?

MONA:
At sessions in Germany, sometimes there are people who are dancing for the first time. So the levels are this far [shows big gap between thumb and index finger] apart but I feel like everyone here is already so high up. So that was really intimidating and I didn’t have confidence at first. But still I knew that I would grow and learn to dance with people who are on this high-up level.

I just forced myself to do it anyways and not to think too much about it. Because it was really hard in the beginning but I was like, ‘Don’t think like that.’ Especially from CHAEDO and everyone [at Palette Session], I get such positive feedback and everyone is so lovely. Also Dokyun is so encouraging to everyone so over time I was like, ‘It’s something in your head. No one cares about your level except you.’

GABBIE:
A majority of the dancers here seems to be studying dance as their major [at university] and wants to make it as choreographers / professional dancers. And [that’s so] different to someone who wants to use dance as an outlet to balance other things. It makes sense why they’re performing at this level.

And in those moments, you need to step back and calm yourself, ‘Listen - you’re there for different reasons. It’s great to celebrate other people and their achievements and skillsets. But [you also] need to get out of that mindset of constantly comparing and getting super disappointed and out of your head.’

I can’t help but think if people are watching and judging me. But that comes with being in a new environment where you don’t know anyone you’re training with.

BIGGEST SURPRISE ABOUT KOREA’S STREET DANCE SCENE

DYLAN:
What surprised you the most about the dance scene in Korea?

MONA:
That everyone’s level is insane and how much people train. Like the concept of midnight sessions* and training? I was like, ‘Holy s***!’ People basically don’t sleep. They go to work in the morning and from friends I heard they only sleep 3 hours a night.

Dancers in Germany are very dedicated to what they do…but they sleep.

GABBIE:
Their midnight practices. With the type of communities I was involved in [within Toronto], dance was never at the front - it was work and family first. So after hearing about how most dance teams practice from midnight to 5am, I was shocked.

Also how many people in the scene went to school for dance. At home, they were all studying something different and dance was a hobby (e.g. Engineering, Marketing) before pivoting into a career as a choreographer. But here [in Korea], I ask, ‘What did you got school for?’ and they say, ‘I went to school for dance.’ If you’re here to grow and train, that energy will influence you to focus and grow.

It’s also very normal to take review classes here. Choreographers will make their rounds to different studios and their students will take class at one studio, pay the 30,000 won again to take the [same] class at a different studio.

* Midnight training sessions are also known as sae-yeon (새연) amongst street dancers in Korea. It is a shortened version of 새벽 연습 which literally translates to ‘midnight practice’

ADVICE FOR FOREIGN DANCERS COMING TO KOREA

DYLAN: What golden tip would have been good to know before starting your dance journey in Korea?

MONA:

• Throw yourself into classes:

  I didn’t give myself time to overthink. I took classes right away. If I had thought too much about it, it would just take much longer. Just throwing myself right away and testing these classes was essential to find the places I wanted to stay at more quickly.

• Talk to people:

  Approach as many people as you can to find all the things you like. It’s hard but yeah, that was the most crucial step for me. Even if it was the one other foreigner who was there, they might have already been in Korea for years and have much more insights [than myself].

GABBIE:

• Reach out to choreographers:

  I wish I was confident enough to reach out to different choreographers and ask about their classes and whether they would be open to connect. Because [what] I didn’t realise this until later [was] just how open they were to privates and how helpful that would have been for me to have a smaller [group].

• Suss out different studios:

  Try out other studios instead of sticking to one for an entire year. I didn’t realise how different the vibe was at different studios until I started going to them. I was so close to quitting because I had only been to one studio and it wasn’t the best fit for me.