CUNY Dance Initiative Announces Sun Kim Dance Theatre in the World Premiere of “Alien of Extraordinary” at CUNY Dance Initiative

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), an expansive program providing New York City choreographers and dance companies with creative residencies on CUNY college campuses, announces the world premiere of Alien of Extraordinary by Sun Kim Dance Theatre on Sunday, November 9 at 5pm at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (31-10 Thomson Ave, Long Island City, NY). General admission is $20, with student tickets available for $10. Get tickets here.

Alien of Extraordinary is a dance theatre piece born from the labyrinth of the U.S. artist visa system – a process that flattens human stories into forms and reduces lives to paperwork. Choreographed by Sun Kim, a South Korean immigrant who specializes in the street dance style of popping, the piece takes its name from the “alien of extraordinary ability” (O-1) visa and her own experiences with it. Performed by a cast of eight dancers, Alien of Extraordinary features theme music by klezmer musician and composer Michael Winograd. The piece is an invitation to witness the immigrant artist’s journey in all its fragility and resilience, creating a meeting ground for empathy, imagination, and shared belonging.

There will be a post-performance Q&A with Sun Kim and J. Brian Cho, an attorney who specializes in the O-1 Visa process, moderated by LPAC Artistic Director Handan Ozbilgin.

Alien of Extraordinary is created with the support of a Works & Process Residency at Modern Accord Depot (NY).

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Sun Kim is a dancer, choreographer, artistic director, and dance educator. Hailing from South Korea, she specializes in Popping – a style of street dance in which she finds strength and freedom to speak her truth. She was just awarded a 2025 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Choreography, and received the 2022 Emerging Artist Award at Harlem Stage Gala, and was nominated at the 2022 Bessie Awards for Outstanding Breakout Choreographer. She currently performs in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Cub on Broadway.

Sun started learning breaking and popping at age 12, and quickly fell in love with the art form. After training for 10 years, she moved to NYC in 2011. She won a Step Ya Game Up world final Popping battle, made it to the top eight at UK B-Boy championship world final as the USA Popping representative, and has performed for Cirque Du Soleil. Additionally, Sun Kim has taught at various institutions such as Princeton University, Broadway Dance Center, Peridance Center, and Kookmin University in South Korea.

She has worked commercial jobs for Madonna, Elton John, Phish, Nike, McDonald’s, Golden Goose, and Gap, and also presented her own work for Burning Man at Sotheby's, Harlem Stage, Breakin’ Convention, Jacob’s Pillow, New Victory Theater, and Mark Morris Dance Center.

Sun Kim Dance Theatre (SKDT), founded by Artistic Director Sun Kim, has a mission to explore the possibilities of Popping dance style in a theatrical manner along with different aspects of physical theatre, and use it as a medium for storytelling, amplifying diverse voices and sharing universal human experiences.

SKDT is committed to creating platforms that elevate the work of underrepresented artists, particularly those from the street dance and immigrant artist communities. We believe that by featuring a broad range of perspectives, we can contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and equitable world.

SKDT has performed at LayeRhythm/Works & Process with New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, New Victory Theater, Battery Dance Festival, Bronx Museum, Symphony Space, San Francisco International Hip Hop Dance Festival, NYU Skirball, Ladies of Hip Hop Festival, Dance Parade NYC, MOPTOP Anniversary and Choreographer’s Carnival.

ABOUT THE CUNY DANCE INITIATIVE

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI) marked a decade of supporting the NYC dance field in 2024. The program was developed in response to the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s 2010 report, “We Make Do,” which cited how destabilizing the shortage of affordable rehearsal space in New York City is to the dance sector. A successful pilot supporting residencies on four CUNY campuses in 2013 led to CDI’s formal launch in 2014. Since then, CDI has become a key player in New York City’s performing arts ecosystem, leading a consortium of 14 CUNY colleges and four arts organizations to host 20+ residencies for NYC choreographers and dance companies each year. In the past 11 years, CDI has granted 275 residencies to emerging and established choreographers, providing invaluable resources to artists, while enhancing CUNY students’ education and cultural experiences.

The CUNY Dance Initiative receives major support from The Mertz Gilmore Foundation and Howard Gilman Foundation. Additional support is provided by the SHS Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture program, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. CDI is spearheaded by The Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College. www.cuny.edu/danceinitiative

LaGuardia Performing Arts Center (LPAC), located at LaGuardia Community College, is a cultural hub that fosters artistic excellence, education, and community engagement. LPAC is dedicated to providing a platform for dynamic artists and storytellers to create, collaborate, and inspire. Through diverse programming, LPAC continues to support its mission of making the arts accessible to all. It is the stage for productions of the award-winning Theater and Music Performance programs of LaGuardia Community College, as well as works from partner institutions, including Carnegie Hall, Joffrey Ballet School, and the Drama League of New York. www.lpac.nyc