Sungsook Setton holds a B.A. from Stony Brook University and earned a Masters of Fine Arts from Goddard College. Mrs. Setton studied Western art in Europe and the U.S., trained under Korean and Chinese masters, and exhibited at over hundred individual and group shows in the U.S. and internationally. In 2010, she represented the U.S. at the Third International Biennial of Modern Ink Painting in Taipei. Among many awards, Mrs. Setton twice received Best of Show at the National Exhibition of the Sumi-e Society of America. Apart from holding her regular classes at the China Institute and Westchester Community College on water-ink painting, Mrs. Setton also visits public schools and museums as a guest teacher.
Karen Ann Elizabeth Kriegel began her Korean dance career in N.Y.C. while attending the Juilliard School, after being introduced to Master Sohn InYoung of the NOW Dance Company of Seoul, Korea. For 17 years, Ms. Kriegel has studied with many teachers including two Korean national treasures: Master Cho GongRye (Kanggangsuallae) and Master DongHee SahNihm (P’ompae / YanSanJae). Ms. Kriegel has also won several gold medals in Korean dance and performs, teaches, and lectures regularly on the subject of Korean dance worldwide.
Administratively, Ms. Kriegel has managed several dancers and dance companies, lived in Athens, Greece, working as a Dance Researcher for CID UNESCO- Conseil International de la Danse, held positions on the Board of Directors at Lotus Music and Dance in NYC, and was an Outreach Director for Dance Parade.
Ms. Kriegel focuses on Korean traditional dance, neo-traditional and fusion dance while working on her own dance company the WDI-World Dance Initiative: an umbrella group for a dance and music collective including Cheol BaekJo Korean Dance, Reflections, and Anise Arts. The World Dance Initiative works in collaboration with folkloric dancers of other genres in performance and teaching settings.
In addition, Ms. Kriegel is the Korean dance teacher at Democracy Prep Charter High School, the Korean Culture School in Harlem, The Korea Society of New York and Flushing Town Hall Smithsonian Institution Affiliate Program.
Join The Korea Society as we celebrate Children’s Day at the Children’s Museum of the Arts. The Korea Society teaching artists Sungsook Setton and Karen Kriegel lead calligraphy and traditional dance workshops. The Children’s Museum of the Arts provides Korean-style embroidery and traditional totem pole sculpture workshops. Visitors will also be able paint their own Korean mask.
