Charlotte dance professor revives and revitalizes the steps of a Korean trailblazer

Kim Jones is on a quest to uncover some lost art — of dance.

The latest efforts by the UNC Charlotte associate professor of dance involve reconstructing and reimagining choreography of Choi Seung Hee, Korea’s first female modern dancer.

A former dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Jones has gained acclaim for reconstructing and reimagining choreography by some of the great icons of American modern dance, including works by Martha Graham and Paul Taylor.

Choi (1911-1969) toured widely through the United States and Europe during the 1930s, garnering fans including Charlie Chaplin and Pablo Picasso. But she also became a controversial figure at home.

Because Choi rose to prominence in Japanese-occupied Korea, a regime which repressed Korean culture, and she eventually moved to North Korea, many of her contemporaries considered her a traitor. That left her legacy to fade.

“What I’m doing is adding Choi Seung Hee to the canon of history that’s been erased in modern dance,” Jones said. She will be presenting the most recent draft of her choreography, inspired by Choi, at the UNC Charlotte Faculty Dance Concert Jan. 28.

The concert is open to the public. Jones has partnered with several Korean-born artists on the project, who will help bring it to life for local audiences.

The work, “자유 Dance for Freedom: Re-imagining the Dances of Choi Seung Hee (1930’s),” will be performed by Martha Graham Dance Company dancer So Young An, with music composed and performed by Vong Pak, and an original film by HaeJin Han.