National Dance Company of Korea's MASK OFF Premieres in New York
News related to:National Dance Company of Korea · 2 min read
NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The National Dance Company of Korea, founded in 1962, is set to premiere its latest work, MASK OFF, at the Korean Cultural Center New York from October 31 to November 1, 2026. The performances, which mark the piece's North American debut, are scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 1, at 5 p.m.
Choreographed by Lee Jae-hwa, a member of the National Dance Company of Korea, MASK OFF is a blend of traditional Korean mask dance and contemporary choreography. The hourlong production aims to unleash the raw energy of Korean mask dance through bold ensemble choreography and a propulsive score that combines traditional rhythms, electronic textures, and modern band sounds. The work draws inspiration from talchum, Korea's traditional mask dance, which traditionally offered a platform for social satire and the expression of everyday frustrations.
The score for MASK OFF is composed by Park Da-ul, a geomungo player and member of the band KARDI. His music responds to the dancers' movement and breath, intensifying the energy on stage. The production features LED masks, adding a technological dimension to the work and bringing traditional imagery into dialogue with contemporary stagecraft. The masks in MASK OFF serve as a means of exploring the emotions people conceal and the roles they inhabit, transforming faces and bodies to create shifting relationships that invite audiences to reconsider their own perceptions.
The choreography ranges from animal-like gestures and sequences reminiscent of breaking to fluid body waves and intricate ensemble formations. The work is part of the National Dance Company of Korea's 2024 Choreographer Project and was presented as the closing performance of the 2025 International Modern Dance Festival (MODAFE). The performances will be jointly presented by the Korean Cultural Center New York and the National Dance Company of Korea & National Theater of Korea, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), as part of the Touring K-Arts project.