The 2013 International Modern Dance Festival, one of the oldest modern-dance festivals in Korea, unveiled its lineup for the upcoming edition scheduled for later this month.

Under the theme “Dance and Life,” a total of 18 works, both from home and abroad, are to be featured during this year’s festival. Among them, five are from overseas, including the festival’s highly anticipated opener “Babel.”

A work by renowned Belgian choreographers Damien Jelet and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, “Babel” is based on the Bible story in which God divides his people into different competing nations and with separate tongues. It is said to dig deep into the themes of division of culture, language, religion and identity.

Choreographer Cherkaoui was born to a Moroccan father and Flemish mother, and was reportedly inspired by his multiethnic upbringing to create the piece.

Swiss choreographer Nicole Seiler is bringing “Living-room Dancers,” which showcases tap-dancing, electro, salsa, Argentine tango, and even samba. The outdoor performance features amateur dancers, many of whom did not have professional training. In the piece, each dancer inhabits a “private apartment” that has been “transformed into a dance-floor” for the show.

“The performance confronts private and public spaces, while playing with our appetite for voyeurism and exhibitionism,” says the choreographer’s website.

Spanish choreographer Daniel Abreu, who was featured during last year’s edition, is making another visit to Seoul this year, staging “Otros Rastros” this time. The dance features three dancers, and deals with a man’s journey from life to death, and questions “what the world is,” or “what this world should be.”

“Within this field of action, the bodies move around the distorted space with an extreme internal muscular tension, resigning themselves to the gestures and dance,” says Daniel Abreu’s website about the dance. “The path the work unravels, gives way to photographic scenery that could evoke the way of life to death.”

French choreographer Patrice Thibaud is presenting “Fair Play,” which features an athlete’s body, as well as often-dangerous disciplines of the extreme, physically demanding sports.

Meanwhile, Korean dance “Three Lips” is creating buzz this year, as it is a collaborative work by three different choreographers and dancers of different age groups. Among the three, artist Cha Jin-yup is in her 30s, Lee Yoon-kyung in her 40s, and Ahn Shin-hee in her 50s. Based on Greek playwright Euripides’ tragedy “The Trojan Women,” the dance tells the story of three different women and their struggles and adventures.

“I feel a lot of pressure as it feels as if I am representing women in their 30s,” said Cha Jin-yup through the local promoters. “One of the biggest challenges is to create Korean characters based on the Greek tragedy.”

The festival is also to hold dance-themed discussions, forums, and photo exhibitions.

The 2013 International Modern Dance Festival runs from May 17 to 26 at a number of venues in Seoul. For this year’s full lineup, visit www.modafe.org or call (02) 756-5352.

By Claire  Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)