A wish, expressed through dance, uniting two Koreas

By Ginny Privitar
GOSHEN — Yuri Nam Wasserman is a petite dynamo of energy and passion. Last Saturday both of those attributes were on display as she danced in a showcase put on by DiVa Dance Studio in Goshen.
"I would like to dedicate this dance to the people of North Korea, currently suffering under a brutal communist regime, to let them know that we love and care for them, that they too will one day live a free life," she said. "This dance is for the reunification of North and South Korea, which I strongly believe will happen soon."
Attired in traditional Korean dress, wearing a pink skirt and iridescent embroidered jacket whose colors shifted as she moved, she performed traditional American dances. But her last number was the most riveting. She and her partner, Vasily Nikeshin, performed a dance dedicated to the hoped-for reunification of North and South Korea.
The two danced a lovely pas de deux, an interpretation of a love story from a popular South Korean drama.
Wasserman danced with the South Korean flag and her partner with the flag of North Korea. At the end, the two flags were joined and held as one by the partners.
'Like going to heaven'Wasserman came to United States as a child in the 1970s, with her parents and brothers. Her father, Lloyd K. Nam, was invited by the U.S. government and taught Korean language and Asian culture at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. The family became naturalized American citizens.
"Coming to America was like going to heaven," said Wasserman. "It was such a privilege."
After receiving a scholarship to the New York Film Academy, Wasserman moved to New York. She made documentary videos, focusing at first on the homeless and drug-addicted. She also shot a semi-documentary about famine at the time in North Korea, and has done more recent work on North Korea and the immigrant experience.
Eleven years ago, she met her husband, Pete, a New York City firefighter.
"Our first date was like love at first sight," she said. "He was so real and down to earth."
The family now lives in Minisink.
Pete and Yuri have a ten-year-old daughter, Kayla, who participates in multiple sports and can match her mother's energy. They both have achieved black belts in Tae Kwon Do. Mom Yuri additionally has a black belt in Hapkido, another Korean martial art, and is involved in other pursuits, including dancing, singing with the Hudson Valley Opera Theater, and coaching cheerleading at Kayla's school.
Wasserman earnestly hopes for eventual reunification of the two Koreas, especially with the election of the new South Korean President, Moon Jae-in. She described President Moon as a humanitarian who sympathizes with the North Korean people. She believes the people of North Korea will rise up against their leader, Kim Jong-un.
"It's time for Communism to exit history," she said.
In the meantime, Wasserman says, "My main goal is to get the message out and educate people."
Latin to modernDiVa Dance Studio of Goshen, owned and operated by Vasily and Diane Nikeshin, put on a delightful showcase of its dancers Saturday at the Goshen Senior Center. Student dancers of all ages participated and were warmly applauded by the audience.
Twenty short performances included traditional ballroom and Latin numbers, as well as more modern dances. A particular hit was a group dance to “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a photo caption.