Chae Si-ra to Perform ‘Buddha Dance’ for the First Time in 31 Years, Bringing Three Minutes of Resonance… A Connection to the 1995 MBC Drama ‘Choi Seung-hee’

Actress Chae Si-ra will meet audiences with “Buddha Dance,” a signature work by the late legendary dancer Choi Seung-hee, for the first time in 31 years. She left a powerful impression in the 1995 MBC special drama “Choi Seung-hee,” in which she played the title role. Now she returns to center stage, reflecting on the roots of new dance, which emerged more than half a century ago.

The aesthetics of stillness in motion… Inner ripples blossoming in calm

Chae Si-ra will take the stage for “Masterpiece Dance Theater” on the 18th at the Arko Arts Theater Grand Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event is one of the key programs of the 47th Seoul Dance Festival, hosted by the Korea Dance Association. Under the careful guidance of artistic director Im Seong-ok of the National Heritage Promotion Agency, the performance will closely recreate the choreography restored and passed down by the late dancer Kim Baek-bong.

Chae Si-ra, who is devotedly rehearsing at Angel Ballet House in Jung-gu, Seoul, underscored the singular artistry of “Buddha Dance.” Unlike conventional dance, which tends to emphasize dazzling technique and dynamic movement, she said, “Buddha Dance” centers on the inner breath that emerges from a still pose. The dancer must root both feet firmly on the ground, hold the upper body straight and convey a vast spiritual world through the subtle angles of the fingertips and the breath.

For a solo lasting just three minutes… Refining her craft through fingertip pain

Artistic director Im Seong-ok, who is coaching the piece, is focused on bringing to life the distinctive movements inspired by the hand gestures of Buddhist statues. The work goes beyond simply imitating the sublime beauty of Buddhist art: it seeks to express through movement the serenity and sense of liberation within Chae Si-ra, shaped by her long acting career.

Her dedication to the three-minute moment onstage is almost relentless. Chae Si-ra repeatedly reviews rehearsal footage and undergoes intensive training to align even the joints of her fingers. Though using unfamiliar muscles brings pain to her wrists and joints, she is said to find artistic catharsis in the gradual process of her body becoming one with the dance.

Not a one-off event but a lifelong calling… A bridge between acting and dance

Chae Si-ra’s commitment to dance dates back to her childhood. She dreamed of becoming a ballerina and was even encouraged during her school years to pursue dance in college, but she never let go of dance throughout her acting career. In 2024, she served as an ambassador for the 45th Seoul Dance Festival and demonstrated the sanjo dance “Cheongpungmyeongwol.” She also appeared as a dancer in “Dansim,” a traditional performing arts production at the National Jeongdong Theater, demonstrating her expertise in the performing arts.

She said she feels a special sense of responsibility because the performance is being staged in a year that marks the 100th anniversary of the emergence of Korean new dance. Chae Si-ra, who has refined the costumes and movements while sharing an artistic connection with her daughter, a dance major, expressed her firm ambition to continue acting and dancing side by side for as long as her body allows.