World-Class Ballerina and Head of Korean National Ballet Kang Sue-jin Joins the Sookmyung Family
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2016-05-16
On April 27th, there was the conferment ceremony held at Samsung Convention Center of Centennial Hall. The ceremony was held to grant an honorary doctorate degree in the Department of Dance to Director Kang Sue-jin. Director Kang is the first active artist to receive an honorary doctorate degree.
Director Kang Sue-jin won the Prix de Lausanne, an internationally-acclaimed dance competition, in 1985 for the first time as Korean. Then in 1986, she made history by becoming the first Asian member of the Stuttgart Ballet, the most prestigious ballet company in the European Union. Kang played an enormous role in enhancing the prestige of Korea.
She received the Presidential Award in 1990, the Female Dancer Award from Benois de la Danse, which is considered the Academy Awards in ballet, as well as the Order of Cultural Merit in 1999. In 2007 as a first Eastern ballet dancer, Kang was given the title of the Kammertanzerin(court dance) which is only granted to the best artist in Germany. She has been acknowledged as the best ballerina not only in our nation but also on the world stage.
Being appointed as the Artistic Director of Korean National Ballet in 2014, Kang expanded her career from a ballerina to an artistic administrator. Since then, Director Kang has elevated the standard of Korean National Ballet and has put a lot of effort in fostering talented ballet dancers. Moreover, Director Kang was invited to St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum for the first time as a director of Korea National Ballet, and she has also judged in major international ballet competitions. Thanks to her contribution to raising the position of Korean ballet, its prestige has been higher than ever.
The Graduate School of Sookmyung Women’s University commented the following reasons for deciding to confer an honorary doctorate degree: “Director Kang has shown excellence of Korea in cultural arts to the world. Furthermore, Kang, as an enthusiastic and high-minded ballerina, has motivated young women by devoting her life to dance despite her most difficult times.”
Director Kang had tears in her eyes during acceptance speech, while speaking of her past days. She received a round of applause from the audience by saying, “I will put effort on being a role model to young women who devote themselves for their own dreams, by giving them hope, and motivating them to never give up their dreams even when they confronts troubles.” She also added; “Especially, now that I joined the Sookmyung family, I will do my best to bring glory to the university and develop the art of dancing, more than ever.”
Translation by Sookmyung Interpretation Volunteers