Ballerina Kang Hohyun, School of Dance, Promotes to Sujet of Paris Opera Ballet

Ballet performer Kang Hohyun, an alumna of the School of Dance, was promoted to Sujet, a soloist in ballet, after five years since she joined the Paris Opera Ballet. Sujet is one of the five positions in ballet among Corps de Ballet (one of the 150 ballet dancers), Coryhee (leader of the corps), Sujet (soloist), Premier Danseur (principal dancer), and Etoile (star dancer). To move up, a dancer has to pass the annual promotion exam.

Besides, ballerina Park Se-eun is the current etoile, a French word for star, of the Paris Opera Ballet. Park took the position in June 2021, ten years after she had joined the company. It was remarkable that she was the first Asian ballet dancer in 352 years of Paris Opera Ballet history. Meanwhile, Prof. Kim Yong-geol of the School of Dance was the first Asian dancer to join the Paris Opera Ballet and retired as Sujet in 2009. Kang Hohyun joined the company as a temporary member in 2017 and was promoted to regular member the following year. She is the fourth Korean ballet dancer to join the Paris Opera Ballet as a regular member.

Kang earned recognition for her refined expression and elegant figure. In 2020, she presented the Special Gala at the 10th Ballet Festival Korea at the invitation.

Established in 1669, the Paris Opera Ballet is the ballet company with the oldest history in the world. Along with the Royal Ballet (UK), American Ballet Theatre (US), and Mariinsky Ballet (Russia), it is known to be one of the world's best ballet companies.

ⓒ Paris Opera Ballet