The Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance) will launch its 12th edition with 33 innovative dance works from around the world starting next month. Dance companies from 15 countries will present some of their best works at cultural venues such as Seoul Arts Center and Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Complex from Oct. 5 to 24. “There have been many dance festivals since our first in 1998, but we still aim for the same objectives,” Lee Jong-ho, the artistic director of SIDance, said during a press conference last week in central Seoul. “First, we chose works that the audience can sympathize with and connect to, and second, we try to stage performances that are not too abstract or difficult. The bottom line is that we want people to enjoy the event.” This year boasts one of the best lineups ever, divided into four main categories: Dance Meets Music, Dance Meets Movies, Dance Meets Media Art and Dance Meets Literature.