Once Upon a Time

ACT 1 -–The O‑Jak Bridge – Gyun‑woo and Jing‑nyuh

오작교 – 견우와 직녀

A Bridge Built by Love

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Inspired by the Korean folktale of Gyun‑woo and Jing‑nyuh, two lovers separated by the Milky Way reunite only once a year. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, crows and magpies form the O‑Jak Bridge across the sky, creating a path for their reunion. Through Korean traditional dance, ballet, contemporary movement, and original music, Act 1 brings this timeless story of love, separation, and hope to life.

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• MiYoung Margolis Dance Collective – Korean contemporary fusion

• Firebird Variation presented by Evergreen City Ballet, coordinated by Nathan Cook – Classical ballet solo

• Sound Ballet Conservatory – Original ballet work inspired by Gyeon‑u and Jik‑nyeo, with young dancers forming the O‑Jak Bridge

• Independent Seattle Ballet Project – Bird Bridge, an original classical and contemporary pointe ensemble featuring Esther Gowin, Juliana Wright, Sana Tepley, Cameron Matsui, Emma Meade, Chisanna Suzuki, and others

Music Collaboration

• Donald J. Stewart – Original music composed for the MiYoung Margolis Dance Collective prologue

ACT 2 -–Timeless Tales, Reimagined

명작 이야기, 춤으로 다시 읽다

As the mother turns each page, a new story unfolds. Familiar tales, cultural traditions, and original creations are reimagined through ballet, contemporary movement, Chinese dance, and theatrical jazz. Each performance becomes a short chapter in the mother and child’s journey through the storybook.

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• Equipoise Dance – Contemporary dance

• Moonlight Chinses Dance by Amy Sun– Traditional Chinese dance, 

• ARC Dance Productions / ARC Ballet School – Students perform Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker, bringing a classical storybook quality to Once Upon a Time

• Evergreen City Ballet – Four Fairy Solo Variations from The Sleeping Beauty coordinated by Nathan Cook

• MiYoung Margolis Dance Collective – World premiere of a new work marking Tatiana Linardopoulou’s choreographic debut

ACT 3 -–When Tigers Smoked Pipes – Korean Fairy Tales

​호랑이 담배 피우던 시절 – 한국 이야기

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“When tigers smoked pipes” is a traditional Korean expression meaning “a long, long time ago.” Much like “once upon a time” in English, it opens the door to a world of folktales, imagination, and wonder. Act 3 draws from this playful phrase to celebrate Korean culture through pansori storytelling, traditional Korean dance, Taekwondo, and K‑Pop, connecting Korea’s past with its vibrant present.

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• Sullae Creative Art Company (예술공동체 술래) – Korean traditional music and storytelling from Suwon and Hwaseong, featuring pansori, gayageum byeongchang, geomungo, piri, folk song, and jangdan

• Morado Korean Dance – Traditional Korean dance

• Bellevue Tae Kwon DO - MooHan (Infinity) Taekwondo Demo Team – National award-winning martial arts performance​