Chronic Translation

Dance at Illinois February Dance 2024
Sojung Lim MFA Thesis Choreography

Premiere Date: Feb 1st-3rd 2024

Choreographer: Sojung Lim

Dancers: Lily Freebery, Haley Krause. Tessa Olson (soloist), Avi Pellegrinetti,
Isabella Saldaña, Sarah Rose Vickerman, Kennedy V. Wilson

Sound: Original score by Brant Roberts in collaboration with Sojung Lim
Performed by Brant Roberts

Film: Mouth to Mouth (1975) by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha/입에서 입으로 (1975) by 차학경

Venue: Krannert Centre of Performing Arts, Tryon Festival Theatre, Urbana, IL.

Chronic Translation is an intricate response to the sense of alienation and discomfort arising from the gap between life in South Korea and the United States. It embodies the constant effort required to navigate and understand the languages, cultures, and societies of both, addressing the struggle of translating thoughts and emotions between Korean and English. This struggle extends to themes of cultural identity and preserving oneself amidst societal pressures.

Chronic Translation invites Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's (1951-1982) film, Mouth to Mouth (1975). Cha was a remarkable Korean American artist and writer, known for her avant-garde work in literature, film, and visual art.

Through haunting images and soundscapes, Cha prompts viewers to contemplate the significance of language in shaping cultural identity and memory. Lim brings Cha’s Mouth to Mouth to the stage with Chronic Translation, evoking an intimate connection between the body and language. It employs the spare arrangement of text, images, and sound to create a sense of unfamiliarity and alienation.

*To watch the official Performance video, please contact lim.chum.dance@gmail.com