“Ballet is a picture of humans” – Maeil Business Newspaper

“Ever since I was young, I was interested in both dance and art, but becoming a choreographer allowed me to do both. “I have the privilege of painting with the precious material of dancers.”

These are the thoughts expressed by John Neumeier (85), a world-renowned choreographer who has been loved for his classic yet original style for over 50 years. Neumeier met with reporters on the 23rd ahead of the domestic premiere of her work ‘The Little Mermaid’ at the National Ballet’s 200th regular performance to be held at the Seoul Arts Center Opera Theater from the 1st to the 5th of next month.

The Little Mermaid is a work commissioned by the Royal Danish Ballet in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Danish fairy tale author Andersen. Neumeier took inspiration from the fact that the fairy tale The Little Mermaid contains Andersen’s autobiographical life. “Andersen loved a young man at the time, but when he married someone else, she suffered the pain of heartbreak. One of the themes of The Little Mermaid is ‘forbidden love.’”

Accordingly, the character ‘Poet’, Andersen’s alter ego, appears in the play, and his teardrops fall into the sea, and the story of his other alter ego, the Little Mermaid, begins. Neumeier said, “Most ballet works show various aspects of love, but in The Little Mermaid, a being longs for love beyond her own world and endures sacrifice and pain,” adding, “It is an example of how much we can love others.” “It contains meaning,” he said.

Modern imagination also stands out. Neumeier designed not only the choreography but also the stage, lighting, and costumes. You can see the mysterious atmosphere of the sea and pants costumes that depict a mermaid’s tail. The dancer who will play this role will also be revealed soon. Neumeier said, “The Little Mermaid has to move gracefully even while wearing long pants, and she has to make a variety of movements, including making ugly movements while on land.”