When dancer-choreographers Haeni and Kristian Mensa, known by his stage name Mr. Kriss, entered their rehearsal studio for a recent interview, both were coincidentally dressed in earth-toned brown tops and cargo-style pants. This unplanned coordination perfectly symbolizes the creative connection between these two artists, who will make their Korean stage debut together at Seoul's Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from August 14 to 16 with their contemporary dance work "OO-LI."
The unlikely partnership began in early 2024 when the two choreographers met in Seoul through a mutual friend. Despite their vastly different backgrounds – Haeni hailing from Seoul's hip-hop and commercial dance scene, and Mr. Kriss from Prague's breaking and visual arts world – they discovered an immediate creative synergy. "We have similar ideas, but our ways of moving are really different. When we brought them together, we knew it would create something special," Mr. Kriss explained to reporters last week. "When we were throwing out ideas, we got excited because each time, it was something the other person also wanted to do."
A remarkable series of coincidences brought their collaboration to life. In the same week that Haeni received an invitation to create a piece for the Sejong Center's summer contemporary festival Sync Next, a Czech music festival reached out to Mr. Kriss asking if he could propose a duo performance. The two artists immediately thought of each other, leading to their first performance together in the Czech Republic this past June.
Their new work "OO-LI" explores profound themes of identity, constraint, and coexistence. The title itself carries multiple layers of meaning – pronounced "uri" in Korean, it serves as a homonym playing on the concepts of "we/us" and "cage." "We were playing with words that have multiple meanings," Haeni explained. "When I said uri, Kriss immediately loved it. It's about togetherness, but also about being confined, and that felt instinctively powerful." Mr. Kriss added, "And how it's written is really visual, with circles and lines. We wanted something universal, a little mysterious, something that makes people ask: What does it mean?"
The production features an impressive cast of 28 dancers selected through open auditions, representing diverse backgrounds and genres. Each performer embodies fragments of the choreographers' inner worlds, sharing the stage alongside Haeni and Mr. Kriss as they collide, converge, and coexist through movement. The choreographers describe their contrasting styles as complementary, with Haeni joking, "We're yin and yang." Her movement style leans sculptural and introspective, while Mr. Kriss, rooted in breaking, brings an explosive, physical energy to their collaboration.
For both artists, "OO-LI" represents significant career milestones. The 31-year-old Haeni, who has built an impressive resume choreographing for global artists and brands, sees this as her longest choreographic work and stage debut. Her credits include choreographing American singer Usher's "You Make Me Wanna," co-choreographing for Margiela, and serving as movement director for K-pop group aespa's recent music video "Dirty Work." She has collaborated with industry giants including The Black Label, Cube Entertainment, Samsung, and Nike.
Mr. Kriss, who has performed with artists such as Kylie Minogue and Hania Rani and collaborated with Greenpeace, Adidas Originals, and Louis Vuitton, is also making his Korean stage debut. For him, the connection to Korea runs deep and personal. "In my childhood, Korean breaking dance crews were my biggest inspiration," he revealed. "I watched every clip I could find. I even learned Korean city names from breakdance videos – which crew came from where. So it was amazing to meet some of these dancers when I came to Korea."
Both choreographers hope their audience will discover the same emotional truth they found in creating the piece. "For me, this piece is about acceptance – accepting myself," Haeni shared. "I hope the audience feels that for themselves, too." Mr. Kriss echoed this sentiment, explaining their artistic vision: "We want people to be less in their heads. Not to think about the story, but feel it here in their hearts."
