Bio

CV

Soomi Kim (she/her) is a NYC based actor, deviser, theatre maker and movement artist Her works are biographical and autobiographical narratives generated in a hybrid, collaborative form. She is most known for spearheading a trilogy of plays (co-developed with director Suzi Takahashi) inspired by the lifeworks of Bruce Lee (LEE/GENDARY 2008, written by Derek Nguyen), artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha (DICTEE: BELLS FALL A PEAL TO SKY 2012), and performance artist & political activist Kathy Change (CHANG(E), 2015). These Asian American cultural icons share connections that go beyond their performance practices and untimely deaths. In their performances, Lee, Cha, and Change are linked through Soomi’s body, bringing their legacy to life in the present. All three shows were showcased at the 1st, 3rd, and 4th National Asian American Theatre Festivals in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

​In 2017, Soomi was commissioned by Dixon Place to write and perform her autobiographical dance theater solo, MLCG (My Little China Girl) (directed by Leta Tremblay and originally developed with Suli Holum) which acted as an “epilogue” to her trilogy. She received the "Most Memorable Solo Performance" award from Gay City News. Her latest project in development, GUT (굿), serves as a sequel to MLCG and represents the fifth and final chapter of Kim’s two-decade exploration of mortality in extraordinary AAPI and Korean lives.

 

Kim’s recent full-length dance theater piece, Body Through Which the Dream Flows (performed at New Ohio Theatre's Ice Factory 2022 and The Tank 2022), was Soomi’s first foray as a co-director (with Meghan Finn) and showcased six young competitive female gymnasts who were formerly coached by Kim. While BTWtDF marked a shift away from the AAPI narrative, it preserved the same essence of process through autobiographical & biographical elements, research, and the devising of movement.

​

Kim has performed and toured extensively with companies and artists such as Ex.p girl, composer Nick Brooke, composer/choreographer Grisha Coleman and the late Fred Ho.​ As an actor her work ranges from downtown and regional theater to independent film and web series appearances. She is a Circle in the Square Professional Training Program graduate and studied Meisner technique for 3 years. 

Residencies & Awards:
Macdowell Fellow 2024, BAM A.I.R.  2024, Berkley Rep's Ground Floor A.I.R. 2023, The Assembly Theater’s Deceleration Lab Artist (2022), CRS 2022 artist grant, Orchard Project's Greenhouse Lab (2020-21), Marble House A.I.R. (2019), Dixon Place commission (2017), HERE A.I.R. (2015), Hemispheric Institute (2014), NPN’s Creation and Forth Fund grant, Mabou Mines A.I.R. (2014), Asian Arts Initiative (2012 & 2013), NYITA Outstanding Production of a Play award for Lee/gendary. 

Soomi has been featured and reviewed in The Drama Review (MIT Press), The New York Times, The New Yorker, Huffington Post, Timeout NY, NPR’s WHYY Radio, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Culturebot and the Korea Times. 

​​​​Guest Artist:

Guest speaker at Lehman College, Marymount Manhattan College, Devising workshop hosted by APANO in Portland, Or., Invited participant in the National Directing and Ensemble Creation Institute, co-founded by Art2Action and Pangea World Theatre (July, 2017). Presentation, lecture and workshop at Harvard University April 2017. Featured artist at the 2016 New York City Asian American Student Conference (NYCAASC), Oregon State University 2014, lecturer and workshop on devising movement. Other workshops: Emerge NYC, Baruch guest artist and Asian Arts Initiative. 

Chang(e) was presented in December 2017 by Boomarts in Portland Or. Essay published in the Fall Edition of the Drama Review written by Professor Vivian L. Huang titled: "What Shall We Do?" Kathy Change, Soomi Kim, and Asian Feminist Performance on Campus  ​

Movement and Choreography: 
Soomi has choreographed for Grammy nominated vocalist Thana Alexa's music video projects ONA and "Doyenne" (by SONICA trio). She has performed in over 20 live industrials with The Art of War (a martial arts performance troupe under Empire Entertainment) and she has choreographed much of the movement for her artist led projects. Other projects: "Warriors: Make Art Not War" (a martial arts short film directed by Maja Fernquist), "In Her Words: the story of Anna May Wong" (directed by Yunah Hong), Audition (showcase for 2g's Breaking Bamboo). 

As a choreographer and movement maker, she has been mentored by renown artists such as Alexandra Beller (Alexandra Beller Dances and former Bill T. Jones company member) and Hannes Langolf (Olivier nominated choreographer and former lead DV8 performer).​ What excites her is visceral storytelling through movement. She is drawn to a physicality that blends gestural movements—both codified and non-codified—with virtuosity and a desire to challenge tradition, all while seeking to evolve her practice of intersecting text and movement.

A former competitive gymnast and coach, Soomi is the founder of GymKim Choreo LLC whose main service is floor routine choreography for competitive gymnasts and Creative Dance Workshop for Gymnasts. She has choreographed hundreds of routines for gyms in NYC and throughout the region.  www.gymkimchoreo.com

​

Upcoming: Premiere of TESTING², a dance theatre duet at The Tank December 2024 with Laura Peterson.