Description
A master of centuries-old Korean dance, Lena Mija Kim was an acclaimed and award-winning performer in South Korea as a young woman. She immigrated to the US in her early 30s and spent 30 years working and raising her family before returning to Korea and dancing again. In her mid-70s now, Lena is one of the last masters of traditional Korean dance. Teachers and dancers from around the world flock to her studio in Palisades Park, NJ to study with the master. We see her teaching and passing on the traditions to her own daughter Elle. We visit Palisades Park for its annual Korean Day Festival, where Lena was a featured performer. In 2024, she received a New Jersey Heritage Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Produced by Eric Schultz for State of the Arts. Director of Photography Joe Conlon, narrated by Nemuna Ceesay. Special thanks to Mira Kang, Chamber of Commerce, Pallisades Park, NJ; Elle Kim, translator; and Evan Kim.
