This spring, acclaimed South Korea–UK based ensemble 99ArtCompany bring Burnt Offering to Dance City as part of Kontemporary Korea, a curated contemporary dance programme presented within A Festival of Korean Dance.

Burnt Offering is a powerful, moving reflection on modern life, shaped as a contemporary ritual through dance. Many traditional dances began as religious rites, and this award-winning work asks what rituals we need now: What do we hope for? What do we hold sacred? How can old traditions guide us today?

Dancers gather at an altar, each offering something of themselves. Caught in the repetitive rhythms of daily life, they feel their days slipping away, until rising incense draws their gaze upward and a dance begins — glowing with dignity, intensity and emotion.

Inspired by the Korean traditional dance Seungmu, Burnt Offering seamlessly blends movement, music and voice to express the stories we all carry.

In a world that grinds us down, this is a ‘burnt offering’ for meaning, beauty and peace.

“It didn’t just appeal to emotions or have excellent technique; it also resonated with the soul with its sincerity… a proper harmony of East and West.”
Jang Jiwon, Dancepost Korea

Burnt Offering was awarded both the Seoul Arts Award Grand Prize and Excellence Award in 2023.

This presentation is supported by Korean Cultural Centre UK.

* Please note: this performance contains the use of incense.