Today we’d like to introduce you to Youlmae Kim

Hi Youlmae, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

From a younger age, I started training specifically in Korean Traditional Dance, Ballet and Modern/Contemporary Dance in South Korea. In my early 20s, I was interested in Musical Theater so I wanted to experience Theater Dance in New York City. Since my move to NYC in 2014, alongside my training in Theater Dance, I fell in love with various street dance styles. At the moment, it’s hard to define exactly what kind of dance genre that I’m doing because through my eclectic dance training, I’ve blended different movements into one style.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

The road will never be perfectly smooth for anyone. There are definitely pros and cons for the choices we make and it’s our responsibility to own these choices. From the outside looking in, it might seem like my path was smooth, but there were quite a few challenges I experienced during my ongoing journey. If I had to choose, my greatest challenge would be: ‘Finding the core essence of my dance style so that I can connect and share with both other individuals and with an audience.’ Through my extensive exploration of different genres of dance, my dance style has become quite unique. I’m an active creator in the arts because I want to communicate with others through my art form. With that in mind, I want to make sure that my dance style is approachable from an audience point of view. It has been hard to find the right balance between what audiences want and what my dance style presents.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I’m known as a dancer and choreographer in NYC, however, I’m not too particularly attached to specific titles or roles. I think of myself as a storyteller that uses movement art as a way to communicate with people. I love to create movement art with my body and I’m also super introverted. This is why I feel comfortable communicating with people in this nonverbal way – haha.

Recently, I’ve been creating choreography, teaching dance classes, and making concept videos with my dance pieces. One of my focuses as I’m choreographing is mixing my background in Korean Traditional Dance with other dance genres that I’ve trained in. Bringing my culture and background into this newly formed movement may initially appear discreet. Out of respect for different dance cultures, including Korean Traditional Dance, it’s important to me that the integrity of the individual dance style is well maintained. I believe that my movement can bring about a new experience for others that are either learning or watching it.

One of the reasons why I love creating movement is because it’s my way of sharing my life experiences. To a level, sharing these experiences makes me feel vulnerable sometimes. Despite this sense of vulnerability, it’s worth it to me if my art can present people with a new way of authentically seeing themselves. I’m always grateful to those who are open to connecting with and experiencing my art. This aspect of my work is what makes me feel most proud.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?

Each person, from past to present, that is a part of my life is the reason why I can be where I am today. Both good and bad memories with them have allowed me to grow as a person and as an artist. I won’t disclose further details surrounding this as I wish to keep this within my inner circle.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youlmaekim/?igsh=MWxqYW5majNhMzRvMg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/kvJYgvN7nXw?si=Q4xADSCP1aFRlK_z

Image Credits

Dazil Aquino
@dazilvisuals