Korean Drum: Journey of a Soul

Choreographed by Kook Soo-Ho, whose previous works include both Seoul and Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies (1998 and 2008), Korean Drum: Journey of a Soul lacks none of the visual splendour one might expect from such a large-scale choreographer. However, Korean Drum finds impact not just in its full, swirling ensemble pieces but also in its quieter moments - take the wandering flautist whose piercing solo is beautiful, haunting and intimate, lingering longer in the air than the solid thuds of the beaten drums.

Soo-Ho gives power to the delicate and the elegant in this performance. Female dancers seem to float across the stage as they dance, fragile and ethereal, before suddenly slicing through the air with their fans. As they twirl and pivot, elaborately weaving between each other, their full skirts frothing around them, no movement is superfluous here. The dance is intricate but not extravagant, each curve of a wrist gracefully considered.

The music shares this complexity, so wild yet detailed, as the drum beats roll through the air. Drumming in unison, these masterful musicians overlap, moving between instruments with as much ease as dancers and playing with a reckless abandon yet also such exactness. It is enchanting.

Korean Drum: Journey of a Soul is at once both explosively riotous and calmly precise, and herein lies its magic. Contrasting such measured skill with passion creates an enthralling performance that makes the flutter of a fan seem as powerful as the beating of a drum.