Mi Young Kim has established herself as one of the leading figures in the Korean- Canadian cultural scene. She works as a dancer, choreographer and instructor, and founded the Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute in 1979. The company then became the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canada, a non-profit organization in 1987.
Born in Seoul, Mi Young Kim is an immigrant artist that already had a decorated career and history in Korea before moving to Canada.
Since the age of five, she was taught by her great master teacher Yun Hak Kim, an influential dancer and choreographer who established his own dance school in 1945, one of the first in the country.
He personally trained and produced countless professionals in Korea, and over his 30 year career, Yun Hak Kim became widely known across the country for his original repertoire, becoming a historically significant figure in shaping Korean cultural dance.
Other notable figures who taught her include; Man Hyang Chu, Suk Woon Yun, Geum Ryun Sung, Ok Jin Kim, Sung Nam Yim and Wol Young Lee. These individuals are celebrated nationally for their works in their respective area; Ogomu, the five drum dance, Seoljanggo, the Gayageum, and ballet.
Mi Young Kim lunched a multi-cultural dance festival in 2003, The 1st Soo Ryu Dance Festival. Kim was presented with her pen name from poet Geum Shil Lee, which metaphor to spread Korean culture to all parts of the world like water, and after 2003, the Soo Ryu Dance Festival began and continued as currant.
Continue to promote traditional Korean dance and further develop her art, Mi Young Kim now concentrate on training new generations of dance artists and creating a dance style that is uniquely Korean-Canadian. Kim also invited traditional Korean entertainment dance performers such as Jin-Mi Park, Mi-Sook Song, and Hyegyeong Lee, and collaborated with several artists from Canadian multicultural diversity; Menaka Thakkar, Lata Pada, Zab Maboungou, William Lau, Kozakura Sensui and Oikado Ichiro.
PERFORMANCES & PRESENTATIONS
2022 Learn Janggo Dance in North and South Korea
2022 ENCORE “Friends with Miyoung Kim
2021 Taste of Tal Chum Class
2021 Friends with Miyoung Kim
2021 Taste of Talchum – Online Class
2021 Children’s So-Go Class – Online Class
2021 Rhythm of Life – New Horizon Senior Program Online Class
2021 RISE WITH UNITY Encore! Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Online
2020 RISE WITH UNITY The 11th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Online
2020 The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto presents_Virtual Multicultural Canada Day celebration
2019 Soo Ryu Series Kick Off,_Dance Maker Main Stage
2019 LEST WE FORGET, a tribute performance for Veterans_Worrior’s Hall, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2019 Korean Harvest Festival_ Mel Lastman Square
2019 KAL CHUM Soo Ryu Series Presentation_Ernest Balmer Studio
2019 Soo Ryu Series Kick Off_Tapestry Opera
2019 DANCE ONTARIO DanceWeekend`19_Fleck Dance Theatre
2018 – Xtraordinary TO Dances: Moments in Reel Time is conceived, Designed and Directed by Allen Kaeja Canada 150
2018 Celebration for PYUEONG CHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES_Toronto City Hall
2018 A JOURNEY TO A NEW BEGINNING The 10th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Toronto Art Center
2018 Aurora Multicultural Festival_ Aurora Town Park
2017 STEPPING THROUGH TIMES Ontario 150 Community Celebration
2017 TAEKWONDO Music Video of Canadian Pop Band, Walk off the Earth
2016 ‘CANADA ARIRANG’ DanceWeekend`16_Fleck Dance Theatre
2016 MODEUMBUK, the Palette of the Drums_Korean Cultural Centre
2016 LEODO IN CANADA The 9th Soo Ryu Dance Festival featuring MARO with Keiko Kitano, Thompson and John Henry, Gerena and Norma Araiza_ Studio Theatre at Toronto Centre for the Arts
2015 HARMONY & COEXISTING DONGNAE HAK CHUM featuring by Sung-Hoon Lee_ Korean Cultural Centre
2015 Spring Recital for the Teacher’s Training Program_Dancemakers Centre for the Creation
2015 DANCE ONTARIO DanceWeekend`16_Fleck Dance Theatre
2014 Korean Dance TCA(Thier+Curran Architects Inc.)Open House_Meridian Arts Centre
2014 Mi Young Kim Dance Co. in Montreal@Korea’s Day(Journée de Corée)_ Université du Québec à Montréal
2014 Korean Dance-Sogo Chum@Culture Days_Toronto Public Library
2014 Mi Young Kim Dance Co’s Korean Dance Performances_Canadian National Exhibition
2014 CANADA ARIRANG The 8th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_ with Zab Maboungou & Nyata-Nyata, Santee Smith, Song Mi Sook, JinSu Mun, Chris Baek, Jeffrey Chan, Elena_Toronto Centre for the Arts
2014 Canadian National Exhibition _Direct Energy Centre
2014 CREATIVE RESIDENCY Seol Janggo and 12-Bal Sangmo by Jinsu Mun _National Ballet School
2013 K-DANCE REVOLUTION_ Meridian Arts Centre
2013 K-dance Appreciation Day_Korean Culture Centre
2012 Cathay Ball 2012: An Evening in Seoul _Toronto Metro Convention Centre
2012 The 7th Soo Ryu Dance Festival commemorating 50 years of Canada-Korea diplomatic relations_with Menaka Thakkar, Lata Pada, Zab Maboungou, William Lau, Kozakura Sensui and Ichiro Oikado_ P.C. Ho Theatre /Korean Cultural Centre/National Ballet School
2011 60 YEARS OF RHYTHEM AND MOVEMENT: Mi Young Kim’s 60th Anniversary in Arts Celebration_Toronto Centre for the Arts
2011 HanCa Gala Korea-Canada Friendship Event, Ottawa
2010 THE THUNDERING ROAR The 2nd edition of Mi Young Kim Dance Company Performance with Sashar Zarif _Toronto Centre for the Arts
2010 WOON RYUK The 6th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_with Hun Kyu, Zab Maboungou, Little Pear Garden Collective, Norma Araiza, Peter Chin_ Betty Oliphant Theatre
2009 YEONG SAN JAE, Special Remembrance Day Performance and Workshop, featuring the Yeong San Jae Ceremony conducted by Buddhist monks from Bong Won Temple, Korea_Korean Culture Centre
2008 EUI–SIK MU The 5th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Enwave Theatre
2007 KAKSORI The 1st edition of Mi Young Kim Dance Company Performance, a biennial event alternating with the Soo Ryu Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2006 HISTORIC STORY The 4th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2005 ROOTS REVITALIZED The 3rd Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2004 LEGEGENDARY TALES The 2nd Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2003 SYMBIOSIS : A HARMONY OF LIGHT AND SOUND The 1st hosting of Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Betty Oliphant Theatre
2002 DANCE AS A RITUAL a multicultural dance event that served as a model for Soo Ryu Festival_Korean Culture Centre
2001 CELEBRATING CHUM : MI YOUNG KIM’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE ART SHOW_Korean Culture Centre
2000 SHIN MYUNG: SHAKING THE SPIRITS_Korean Culture Centre
1999 MILLENNIUM CHEER showcasing Japanese, Korean and Chinese dance, a predecessor to the Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Fairview Library Theatre
1998 WE ARE ONE! with Ruo Chun Nie, Nan Sook Chung, Soo Jung Kwon_Ford Centre for the Performing Arts
1997 DANCE OF SOUL Mi Young Kim’s 45th anniversary in the arts celebration_Korean Culture Centre
1995 GREECE PERFORMANCE TOUR for 21 DAYS with 20 members of performing troupe_ various venue include Ancient Roman amphitheatres
1988 CELEBRATION FOR 1988 SEOUL OLYMPIC IN CANADA_ Ottawa Parliament Hill
1987 Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute became the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canada(KDSSC), a non-profit organization
1980 Korean dance performed at Women’s Alumni event in University of Toronto
1979~1987 Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute Performed at hundreds of venues; performed on City TV, CBC TV, Global TV, All TV and on OMNI. They’ve performed at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Harbourfront Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, O’Keefe Centre, Premier Dance Theatre, Toronto International Centre, Casino Rama, Centennial College, York University. Performed in Canada Day Celebrations, Christmas Celebrations at North York City Hall, the SkyDome Christmas Festival, Canada National Exhibition, Toronto Caravan Festival, Kiwanis Dance Festival, Toronto Arts Week, Toronto Street Festival, South Asian Dance Festival, Korean Consulate Gala, CanAsian Dance Festival, DanceWeekend by Dance Ontario, Peterborough Folk Festival, Aurora Multicultural Festival, Folkfest in Saskatchewan, International Dance Day, Korean Culture Night in University of Toronto. Over 3,000 people have seen their performance at P.C. Ho Theatre in Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto and Vietnamese TET Community Festival. And they performed at numerous nursing homes include North York Senior Health Centre.
1979 Artistic director Mi Young Kim, founded the Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute in Toronto
1979 SAl PU RI Korean Culture Night_ University of Toronto
1952-1979 Dance Recitals 15 times in Great Masters teacher, YUN HAK KIM’s Annual Dance Presentation_Myong-Dong Theater (former National Theatre)
1959 THE 1st MI YOUNG KIM DANCE PRESENTATION _Wongaksa
2022 Learn Janggo Dance in North and South Korea
2022 ENCORE “Friends with Miyoung Kim
2021 Taste of Tal Chum Class
2021 RISE WITH UNITY Encore! Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Online
2020 RISE WITH UNITY The 11th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Online
2020 The Community Folk Art Council of Toronto presents_Virtual Multicultural Canada Day celebration
2019 Soo Ryu Series Kick Off,_Dance Maker Main Stage
2019 LEST WE FORGET, a tribute performance for Veterans_Worrior’s Hall, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2019 Korean Harvest Festival_ Mel Lastman Square
2019 KAL CHUM Soo Ryu Series Presentation_Ernest Balmer Studio
2019 Soo Ryu Series Kick Off_Tapestry Opera
2019 DANCE ONTARIO DanceWeekend`19_Fleck Dance Theatre
2018 Celebration for PYUEONG CHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES_Toronto City Hall
2018 A JOURNEY TO A NEW BEGINNING The 10th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Toronto Art Center
2018 Aurora Multicultural Festival_ Aurora Town Park
2017 STEPPING THROUGH TIMES Ontario 150 Community Celebration
2017 TAEKWONDO Music Video of Canadian Pop Band, Walk off the Earth
2016 ‘CANADA ARIRANG’ DanceWeekend`16_Fleck Dance Theatre
2016 MODEUMBUK, the Palette of the Drums_Korean Cultural Centre
2016 LEODO IN CANADA The 9th Soo Ryu Dance Festival featuring MARO with Keiko Kitano, Thompson and John Henry, Gerena and Norma Araiza_ Studio Theatre at Toronto Centre for the Arts
2015 HARMONY & COEXISTING DONGNAE HAK CHUM featuring by Sung-Hoon Lee_ Korean Cultural Centre
2015 Spring Recital for the Teacher’s Training Program_Dancemakers Centre for the Creation
2015 DANCE ONTARIO DanceWeekend`16_Fleck Dance Theatre
2014 Korean Dance TCA(Thier+Curran Architects Inc.)Open House_Meridian Arts Centre
2014 Mi Young Kim Dance Co. in Montreal@Korea’s Day(Journée de Corée)_ Université du Québec à Montréal
2014 Korean Dance-Sogo Chum@Culture Days_Toronto Public Library
2014 Mi Young Kim Dance Co’s Korean Dance Performances_Canadian National Exhibition
2014 CANADA ARIRANG The 8th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_ with Zab Maboungou & Nyata-Nyata, Santee Smith, Song Mi Sook, JinSu Mun, Chris Baek, Jeffrey Chan, Elena_Toronto Centre for the Arts
2014 Canadian National Exhibition _Direct Energy Centre
2014 CREATIVE RESIDENCY Seol Janggo and 12-Bal Sangmo by Jinsu Mun _National Ballet School
2013 K-DANCE REVOLUTION_ Meridian Arts Centre
2013 K-dance Appreciation Day_Korean Culture Centre
2012 Cathay Ball 2012: An Evening in Seoul _Toronto Metro Convention Centre
2012 The 7th Soo Ryu Dance Festival commemorating 50 years of Canada-Korea diplomatic relations_with Menaka Thakkar, Lata Pada, Zab Maboungou, William Lau, Kozakura Sensui and Ichiro Oikado_ P.C. Ho Theatre /Korean Cultural Centre/National Ballet School
2011 60 YEARS OF RHYTHEM AND MOVEMENT: Mi Young Kim’s 60th Anniversary in Arts Celebration_Toronto Centre for the Arts
2011 HanCa Gala Korea-Canada Friendship Event, Ottawa
2010 THE THUNDERING ROAR The 2nd edition of Mi Young Kim Dance Company Performance with Sashar Zarif _Toronto Centre for the Arts
2010 WOON RYUK The 6th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_with Hun Kyu, Zab Maboungou, Little Pear Garden Collective, Norma Araiza, Peter Chin_ Betty Oliphant Theatre
2009 YEONG SAN JAE, Special Remembrance Day Performance and Workshop, featuring the Yeong San Jae Ceremony conducted by Buddhist monks from Bong Won Temple, Korea_Korean Culture Centre
2008 EUI–SIK MU The 5th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Enwave Theatre
2007 KAKSORI The 1st edition of Mi Young Kim Dance Company Performance, a biennial event alternating with the Soo Ryu Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2006 HISTORIC STORY The 4th Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2005 ROOTS REVITALIZED The 3rd Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2004 LEGEGENDARY TALES The 2nd Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Premier Dance Theatre
2003 SYMBIOSIS : A HARMONY OF LIGHT AND SOUND The 1st hosting of Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Betty Oliphant Theatre
2002 DANCE AS A RITUAL a multicultural dance event that served as a model for Soo Ryu Festival_Korean Culture Centre
2001 CELEBRATING CHUM : MI YOUNG KIM’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE ART SHOW_Korean Culture Centre
2000 SHIN MYUNG: SHAKING THE SPIRITS_Korean Culture Centre
1999 MILLENNIUM CHEER showcasing Japanese, Korean and Chinese dance, a predecessor to the Soo Ryu Dance Festival_Fairview Library Theatre
1998 WE ARE ONE! with Ruo Chun Nie, Nan Sook Chung, Soo Jung Kwon_Ford Centre for the Performing Arts
1997 DANCE OF SOUL Mi Young Kim’s 45th anniversary in the arts celebration_Korean Culture Centre
1995 GREECE PERFORMANCE TOUR for 21 DAYS with 20 members of performing troupe_ various venue include Ancient Roman amphitheatres
1988 CELEBRATION FOR 1988 SEOUL OLYMPIC IN CANADA_ Ottawa Parliament Hill
1987 Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute became the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canada(KDSSC), a non-profit organization
1980 Korean dance performed at Women’s Alumni event in University of Toronto
1979~1987 Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute Performed at hundreds of venues; performed on City TV, CBC TV, Global TV, All TV and on OMNI. They’ve performed at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, Harbourfront Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, O’Keefe Centre, Premier Dance Theatre, Toronto International Centre, Casino Rama, Centennial College, York University. Performed in Canada Day Celebrations, Christmas Celebrations at North York City Hall, the SkyDome Christmas Festival, Canada National Exhibition, Toronto Caravan Festival, Kiwanis Dance Festival, Toronto Arts Week, Toronto Street Festival, South Asian Dance Festival, Korean Consulate Gala, CanAsian Dance Festival, DanceWeekend by Dance Ontario, Peterborough Folk Festival, Aurora Multicultural Festival, Folkfest in Saskatchewan, International Dance Day, Korean Culture Night in University of Toronto. Over 3,000 people have seen their performance at P.C. Ho Theatre in Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto and Vietnamese TET Community Festival. And they performed at numerous nursing homes include North York Senior Health Centre.
1979 Artistic director Mi Young Kim, founded the Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute in Toronto
1979 SAl PU RI Korean Culture Night_ University of Toronto
1952-1979 Dance Recitals 15 times in Great Masters teacher, YUN HAK KIM’s Annual Dance Presentation_Myong-Dong Theater (former National Theatre)
1959 THE 1st MI YOUNG KIM DANCE PRESENTATION _Wongaksa
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS
One of the three finalists of Toronto Arts Foundation Muriel Sherrin Award 2021
Ontario Lieutenant Governor`s Lifetime Achievement Award 2018
Short-listed of William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life _ Toronto Arts Foundation 2012
Certificate of Acknowledgement for 60 Year Contribution to Dance _Toronto Mayor Rob Ford 2012
Professional Development Grant of Chalmers Family Fund_Ontario Arts Council 2008
Nominee to the Pioneer Award 2009 & 2010
Gold Award, Kiwanis Dance Festival of Toronto 2006
Finalist of William Kilbourn Award for the Celebration of Toronto’s Cultural Life 2005
Choreographer of the Year Globe and Mail, Paula Citron 2004
President’s Award_ Republic of Korea 2003
Member of the Toronto Arts Council of Dance Committee 2001-2003
COVER APPEARANCE ON THE DANCE CURRENT; CANADA’S DANCE MAGAZINE
Volume 4, Issue 6_ November 2001
Founder of Soo Ryu Dance Festival in 2002
Chief Artist in Cultural Area_ Korea Times Daily 1999
Artistic Achievement_ Korean Central Daily 1998
Founder of the Korean Dance Studies Society of Canada(KDSSC), a non-profit organization in 1987
Entertainment Award Winner Artistic merit, International Caravan 1985
Founder of Mi Young Kim Folk Dance Institute in 1979
The 1st place_The 4th Ewha Womans University Dance Competition 1958
The 1st Dance Competition Winner co-hosted by Ewha Woman’s High School and Chosun Media 1954
