At 16, Eileen Kim confronted a life-changing resolution: Keep dwelling to complete highschool in Chicago or transfer to Washington D.C. to pursue her dream of changing into an expert dancer. After spending the summer time on the Kirov Academy of Ballet in DC, she was accepted into the year-round program and begged her dad and mom to let her go. Although she had solely been coaching in ballet for 2 years, she took a leap of religion and went. A number of leaps later, she is now an expert dancer, balancing her profession with an ever-growing listing of artistic pursuits.
In her childhood, Kim educated significantly in rhythmic gymnastics, however by eighth grade, she had reached the best degree of the game and transitioned to ballet. “I assumed ballet was related sufficient, however I rapidly realized that wasn’t true,” she says, laughing. “In any case, I fell in love with it, and it caught.”
After graduating from Kirov, Kim moved to New York Metropolis to proceed coaching. She secured an apprentice contract with Common Ballet a 12 months later, bravely shifting to Seoul, South Korea, at solely 19. One season later, she realized there was extra she needed to discover, each inside dance and past.
Kim found the College of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman College of Dance, utilized, and was accepted. After graduating in 2023, she spent a 12 months with Cincinnati Ballet II earlier than becoming a member of BalletX, the place she is now ending her first season.
Past firm life, Kim has her arms in a number of creative pursuits. She was just lately accepted into the Countertechnique teacher-training program, works because the social media supervisor for Laguna Dance, teaches yoga, and takes on facet initiatives; most just lately, a video-art class at Fleisher Artwork Memorial.
On Her 12 months in South Korea
“Wanting again, I had a lovely expertise in Korea. My mother immigrated to the U.S. on the identical age I used to be after I lived there, so in a method, it was [like living] the alternative of her. I perceive Korean tradition from the attitude of being American but bodily Korean. For my identification, I’m so grateful I lived there as a result of it helped me grasp issues about my tradition I wouldn’t have in any other case.”
On Deciding to Go to Faculty
“Throughout my Kaufman audition, I felt the identical sense of belonging I had at Kirov—I knew it was the place I used to be purported to be. However even after getting accepted, I struggled with the choice. Once you’re younger, decisions really feel so huge, like ‘This might change the trajectory of my life’ huge. And in a method, it did. However I took one other leap of religion.
“Typically, you might have these actually lovely moments of readability the place you assume, I don’t know what I’m doing, however I do know I’m meant to be right here proper now. So, I spent a 12 months in Korea after which left for L.A.”
Classes Gained From College
“At Kaufman, I discovered my ardour for fostering areas of togetherness, creativity, and collaboration. We have been empowered to create our personal paths. Producing exhibits and occasions wasn’t an task. I simply noticed a necessity, or perhaps a artistic need, and went for it. My buddies and I have been like ‘Okay, let’s make this occur,’ and we turned our concepts into motion.
“Kaufman additionally taught me what I used to be interested in—and that my curiosity was simply starting. Now that I’m in firm life, I do know what I wish to discover subsequent. If I didn’t have one thing else to stimulate me creatively, I feel I’d get bored. And by staying curious, it naturally fuels my work within the studio.”
On Educating
“I really like educating. I owe a lot to the lecturers who believed in me, and I don’t assume lecturers get sufficient credit score. My mentors—Stella Voskovetskaya, Erin Forrest, Anton Wilson, and Jodie Gates—have formed me into the artist I’m.
“One among my favourite experiences in Cincinnati was educating on the Cincinnati Ballet Academy. I taught some choreography courses, and watching my college students dive into choreography and uncover their very own love for it—similar to my lecturers did for me—was extremely rewarding.”
Goals for the Future
“There’s a lot I’m excited for, however proper now, I’m comfortable to be in BalletX in Philadelphia. Once you’re youthful, you’re at all times dashing towards what’s subsequent, however now I’m able to pause, take every thing in, and develop. I’m additionally wanting ahead to beginning my Countertechnique coaching and growing as a trainer.
“I’ve so many desires as a result of I’ve so many pursuits. I don’t know precisely what’s subsequent, however I do know it’s there. I really like making issues occur, producing, choreographing, and creating environments that convey folks collectively by means of artwork. I’ve all these seed concepts, and when the time is correct, I do know they’ll come collectively.”