To mark its 80th anniversary, the Dance Department of the School of Performing Arts at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held the 80th-anniversary commemorative performance “K-MOVE 80” from Tuesday, October 20, to Wednesday, October 21. The performance consisted of an indoor show at the Grand Theater of the Kookmin University Arts Center and an outdoor show on the university’s athletic field, interpreting the university’s 80-year history and its future through the language of dance.
 
“K-MOVE 80” is a special program created to commemorate the 80th anniversary, reinterpreting Kookmin University’s history and traditions through the movement of the body. It was designed to connect the past, present, and future by utilizing two distinct stages—a dedicated performance space and an open-air venue—allowing the university community to reflect together on Kookmin University’s 80-year history.
 
In both performances, dance majors reinterpreted the university’s history and spirit through movements and expressions specific to their genres, showcasing the artistic capabilities they have cultivated over the years on stage. In particular, the outdoor performance was designed as an interactive show that visually depicted the 80-year journey from the university’s founding to the present and into the future, using movement and symbolic objects. Eighty large balls represented each year of Kookmin University’s history. Through the movements of the dancers and the large balls, the performance embodied the university’s birth, growth, and leap toward the future, portraying on stage the unity between the university and its members.
 
This performance went beyond a simple commemorative event to focus on reflecting on the significance of the 80th anniversary through the arts. By integrating the distinct indoor and outdoor performances into a single program, it showcased the expertise of the Dance Department within the School of Performing Arts while sharing the university’s history and future with its community through culture and the arts.
 
Kang Kyung Mo, Dean of the College of Arts at Kookmin University, explained the purpose of the production, stating, “This performance provided students with an opportunity to experience different performance environments—theater and outdoor settings—and to develop practical skills in planning, choreography, and directing.” He added, “Furthermore, through a performance encompassing ballet, contemporary dance, and Korean dance, we aimed to provide the university community and the local community with an opportunity to enjoy culture and the arts, and to express Kookmin University’s new future as it marks its 80th anniversary through the arts.”
 
Meanwhile, to commemorate its 80th anniversary, Kookmin University held the “80th Anniversary Open Concert” on Tuesday, September 22, at the university’s main athletic field. At that performance, Kim Hye-hyun, a Class of 2020 alumna majoring in dance in the School of Performing Arts, opened the show with a contemporary dance performance set to the third movement, “Summer,” from Vivaldi’s *The Four Seasons*, accompanied by faculty members from the Department of Music’s Orchestral Performance program. The stage, which blended string music with contemporary dance, received an enthusiastic response from the audience. Alumna Kim Hye-hyun previously placed third overall and first in the contemporary dance category on the Mnet variety show *Stage Fighter*.