Days at Hanyang ERICA

Dear friends, 

I am writing to you from the backseat of a van that is pulling away from Hanyang University. We are leaving with hearts that are full to overflowing. We have been here for many days, and we have been blessed beyond measure by the welcoming and generous hearts of the students and teachers here. 

First, I wanted to thank you all for your prayers as we performed at Gangdong Dance Festival. We believe that God's truth was poured forth through our dancing, and that it will not come back empty. We were able to enter the space with a spirit of worship and a desire for God to come be our help as we spoke and danced truth about what help is. It was an honor and privilege to dance on that stage, in that space, knowing that we had been chosen for the purpose of dancing there. 

On Sunday, we performed at Gajwa Jeil Church. We were pretty exhausted by the time we got there, but the Lord provided joy and strength and energy through the joyful hearts of the congregation. We received so much blessing from the people there, and left with full hearts and full bellies due to the abundant generosity of the church. 

On Monday, as Emma and Kaleb and Alayna worked with Haejun, the rest of us took classes with the dancers at Hanyang - ERICA campus. Monday through Friday were long days- full of classes and rehearsals and attending various performances at MODAFE. Our three dancers working with Haejun's company performed on Tuesday, and they did a phenomenal job. The piece, Trauma 3.0, was so poignant, and spoke to the processing of emotions and relationships, the comfort we seek and the comfort we try to give. It was an incredible piece, and the dancers did a wonderful job. 

I think we would all agree that this week has been beautiful. Both Ms. Morton and Ms. Newland taught various classes, and we were also able to take classes from the teachers and professors at Hanyang. Taking classes was wonderful, not just because the classes were good (which they were), but because of the students we were able to take classes with. To have the common ground of being college dance students was a foundation upon which we were able to build relationships, and dancing with these beautiful people was a gift. They were so eager to learn and to share, and even though days were tiring, their energy was high and helped us to keep ours up. 

Today, Saturday, we were able to share dances with the students. They shared some of their various choreography works and other pieces, and we shared to of our works. To see the work and artistry of the students was such a gift. There was so much power and truth in their dancing and choreography, and to be able to share our hearts through dance with them was yet another opportunity to communicate God's love. One girl pulled out her phone after we performed "Voices" and translated Korean to English in order to tell me that she was deeply moved, and another girl told me that we were angels after she saw Glorious Spirit. They received what we shared, just as we received what they showed. One of my favorite moments from today was a girl who came up to us and told us that she was also a Chrisitan.  To be able to encourage those who are believers has been such a blessing and encouragement to us, and to know that there was more than dance uniting us, but also the mighty Spirit within our hearts. 

The students to sent us off with lunch and gifts that they bought for us themselves, and it was clear that they had put time into preparing the gifts for us. We took many selfies and had many hugs and said goodbye and "see you later" over and over again. There is no way to fully express how much we were connected with these students, how openly they welcomed us, and how generously they shared with us. We have all left parts of our hearts at Hanyang, and have been filled up to continue on in our time here.

Tomorrow (Sunday), we have an evening performance, and on Monday we travel to DIMA to begin our residency there. We praise God for the people and time at Hanyang and continue to lift up our time as we seek to do the work God has prepared for the rest of our time here. 

Love to you all, 

Kelly

Saturday, May 23

Dear friends, 

I just wanted to quickly share 2 things with you heading into this weekend.

First of all, I wanted to share with you a theme of these past two weeks. Almost every time we're introduced at Bal Malhada, we are asked what that means to us in English. For us, it translates as "feet speak", and once that is explained, those who interact with us realize that we have chosen a Korean phrase as our name. To see their faces light up with understanding speaks so loudly. Not only are our feet speaking, but our name is as well, opening doors for conversation about the Lord, about the verse that our name is taken from (Isaiah 52:7), and about the work that we are doing in Korea. 

The other thing I wanted to share with you is what we're doing tonight (Saturday). We have the opportunity to perform "Help" at Gandong Dance Festival. This is a huge blessing, as the Lord has clearly opened doors for us to be able to share our work at this festival, and we are so thankful for this honor. We are praying that God uses our piece to proclaim His truth. That we would not be concerned with the performance itself or the prestige of the venue, but that we would remember why we dance and who we dance for. Please be covering our physical bodies in your prayers as well- for strength and wellness as we prepare for and then dance this evening. 

We are so encouraged knowing that your prayers are with us, not only for tonight but for the rest of this trip. Thank you for your support as we continue to seek God and the works He has prepared for us. 

Words from Alayna...

Emma, Kaleb, and I are in the midst of rehearsing a piece with the Korean dance company "Rising Tide" which will be performed at MODAFE on Tuesday, May 26th. MODAFE is one of the largest contemporary dance festivals in the country and companies from seven different countries will perform during the festival. Haejun Lee, the director of the company, is also a chair of the dance department at Hanyang University. Going into rehearsals, it was overwhelming thinking about learning a twenty minute piece in only a week. However, the three of us have experienced the grace of God and the joy of the Lord in this rehearsal process. We have been warmly welcomed in by the company which is comprised of students, professors, and alumni of Hanyang. Even with the language barrier we have communicated easily and are forming great relationships. The piece is entitled "Trauma 3.0" and is focused on the pain and worry we feel for others in difficult situations. In different sections of the piece we do a lot of dancing on the floor and Haejun communicated to us that those motions are an action of wiping tears off the floor. Please pray over this piece and our relationships with the other dancers. The theme of this piece lends itself to discussions about the heart of God and the love and care He has for us. Pray He would show us in different ways to demonstrate His love to those we are dancing with and those that see this piece. We are really looking forward to performing this piece on Tuesday but need the Lord's strength and peace to cover us. May we dance for an audience of One! 

Love, Alayna 

And Now a Word From...

Hello followers!! 

This is Joshua writing. Being here in South Korea has been a major blessing to me and my life. The best examples are the opportunities I had to teach hip hop classes. The first was with 8th graders at the Chadwick International school. They were a bit shy and nervous about my movement vocabulary but my fellow teammates helped keep the energy high. The other time was at Seoul Women's University. I had a blast with them. They enjoyed the song choice, which was "Fantastic Baby" by Big Bang! K-pop for the win. High energy, happy atmosphere, and invested. I have been filled past the brim. Teaching hip hop in Korea has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. 

First Days

Dear friends, 

Our first few days in Korea have been good. "Good" is a word we throw around a lot, but I use it because our time has been truly good thus far. There have been some hiccups here and there, some illnesses, and some "what is this Korean GPS telling me?" moments, but we have been able to do and see a good deal in these first few days, without doing too much - a good way to acclimate to being in Korea. 

On Thursday, our first full day in the country, we had a leisurely breakfast and devotion together - that's something we've been able to have most days, which will not last much longer, but has been wonderful. We then drove to our hostel in Seoul, where we've been staying ever since. That night, we were privileged to visit Korea National University of the Arts, the top art school in the nation. We toured their dance facilities and met with the dean of the dance department. Their alumni are dancing with renowned companies all over the world. We then watched their ballet department's performance of variations from classical ballets. The dancers were incredible - some of them had been in the top ballet competitions around the world. While their dancing was ridiculous, there was also a feeling of pressure and nerves throughout the entire performance - the hard reality of the standards and demands of not only ballet as an art form, but Korean culture, and KNUA specifically within that greater culture. 

On Friday, we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace. We walked around for about an hour and a half, and took in the immense compounds. The palace is right in the middle of Seoul- the city comes right up to the palace gates, and the peace that comes just leaving the modern city is amazing. There were tourists from all over the world, and it was incredible to take in the palace with so many others. Grace and I were stopped by other tourists and many people asked to take pictures with and of us, which was an adventure. 

That evening we explored a nearby market and then ate at a traditional Korean restaurant, which required us to eat sitting on the floor. 

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to worship, take class, and dance with Pneuma Ballet. It was such a sweet time of fellowship, blessing, and encouragement for all of us. The freedom and beauty in their lives, worship, and dancing reminded us once again of why we dance. A beautiful way to begin our dancing here in Korea. 

This Sunday we worshipped together on the rooftop of our hostel, and then prepared for our time performing at Onnuri church's evening service. We were blessed by their hospitality- in feeding us, in Pastor Jae's sharing his heart with us, and for their welcoming spirit. It was so good to share in worship before dancing - to be recentered on the purpose of our dancing. Our prayer is that the fame and glory of God would spread across the nation, as this worship service was broadcast throughout Korea and the greater Asia area. 

Although these days have been lighter, we are only getting busier from here on out. Please pray for us to continue to draw from the fullness of God's strength, for continued health and safety, and we would continue to trust in the Lord as He is faithful to go before us and shows up in greater ways than we could expect. 

In Christ, 

Kelly

#110toes

Dear friends,

We've made it. Not without some minor snags along the way, but we've made it to Korea, by the grace of God. 

Now that we're here, I wanted to share with you an overview of what our trip will entail: 

Thursday and Friday are lighter days for us. We'll be using those days to travel as well as to attend a ballet choreography showcase at the Korea National University of the Arts, which is comparable to Juilliard in the U.S. 

This Saturday, May 16, we will be involved in an exchange with Penuma Dance Company, a Christian dance company. We will each be presenting works and sharing in dance and worship together. On Sunday, we will perform at and worship with Onnuri Church in Seoul. 

The first half of our second week will be filled with presentations and workshops at various schools. Monday, May 18, will be spent at Chadwick International School; Tuesday we will spend at Seoul Women's University, and Wednesday we will be at another international school. 

From there, we will travel to Hangyang University on Thursday the 21st. (Alayna, Emma, and Kaleb will have travelled there earlier to begin work with Hae Joon Lee.) We will be taking classes with the dance students there as well as preparing for the Gangdong Dance Festival on May 23, where we will be performing "Help". 

On Sunday, May 24, the start of our third week in Korea, we will worship with and dance at Gajwa Jeil Church, and then will attend the Modafe Dance Festival in the evening. We will continue to work with Hungyang University that week and will attend Modafe performances. Alayna, Kaleb, and Emma will be performing on Tuesday, May 26,  and we will also be able to see Sung Yong and his wife perform that Thursday. 

On Friday, the 29th, we will rehearse for our performance at Stage M Theatre, where we will be presenting "Help" on Saturday. We will also be performing "Help" at Incheon Flats on Sunday, May 31. 

In our final full week in Korea, we will be traveling to DIMA (Dong-ah Institute of Media and the Arts) where we will engage with the students through workshops as well as various film projects. On Friday, June 5, we will be able to go to a Korean Folk Village, which will be an amazing cultural experience as our time in Korea comes to a close.

On Saturday, June 6, we will be performing at Geon Children's Home and then exploring and touring Seoul. On Sunday, we will be leading worship through music and dance at Seoul Grace Church. 

And that's it! We leave Korea on June 8, and will return to the States on the same day - we're basically time travelers- it's cool. 

I know that there's a lot of information in this post, but hopefully it will give y'all a reference and framework as to what we'll be doing with ourselves for the next four weeks. I also hope that it will help you to know how to pray for us as we seek to share God's love - in churches, in secular schools, in rehearsals and classes, and in main stage performances. 

Thank you for your prayers for traveling mercies. Please continue to pray for safety as we travel throughout the country, for safety over sick and hurting bodies, and for safety over our hearts and minds. 

We are here. We are safe. We are eagerly awaiting and expecting God to do amazing things in and through us in the next few weeks. 

In Christ, 

Kelly

Only a Day Away

Dear friends, 

This morning (Tuesday, May 11), we will be boarding a plane to travel to South Korea. We have been preparing for this moment since August, and now the time has come! Excitement is mounting as final details come into place. 

As we prepare to leave, I wanted to share a few of the opportunities that we will have in the next month:

On May 26, three members of our team- Alayna, Kaleb, and Emma - will be performing a piece set by Hae-Joon Lee, a professor at Hanyang University. This is an incredible honor and opportunity for these dancers, as they will be working with him extensively in the week leading up to the Modafe Dance Festival. Below is a link providing more information about Hae-Joon and the work he will be setting for the festival. 

http://www.modafe.org/modafe2015/english/program_view.asp?idx=43

We will also be performing Sung Yong Kim's work "Help" in Gangdong Dance Festival. This festival will feature an incredibly diverse group of performers and pieces. We are so looking forward to participating in both of these festivals. Below is an article that provides more information about Gangdong:

http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130408000801

Please pray for us as we travel to Korea tomorrow- for smooth travels, for safety, and for rest and recovery from jet lag. We will be posting our itinerary when possible, in order to share with you a better picture of what our time in Korea will be like.

Next time you hear from us, we'll be in Korea!! Rejoicing in all that God has already done in and through us, and eagerly expecting and awaiting what He has in store for us this next month. 

Love, 

Kelly