BTS Releases Dance-Filled Art Film for New Song, "Black Swan"

The South Korean pop juggernaut BTS has released an art film packed with dance for “Black Swan,” the first single promoting its upcoming album Map of the Soul: 7.

The video opens with the Martha Graham quote, “A dancer dies twice—once when they stop dancing, and this first death is the more painful.” This intro complements the lyrics, which allude to grappling with the fear of losing artistic passion as creative success grows.

Surprisingly, BTS does not appear in the film. The Slovenian troupe MN Dance Company leads instead, performing eerily beautiful, arresting choreography that reflects the song’s concept. The company briefly dances in—before breaking from—a cage of lights, and uses contemporary movement reminiscent of the iconic port de bras of Swan Lake throughout the piece.

“Black Swan” aligns with BTS’ expanding efforts to champion artists beyond music. The pop titans recently announced CONNECT BTS, a global public art project in Berlin, Buenos Aires, London, New York City and Seoul.

We love how the members of BTS have used their platform to showcase a contemporary dance company, and can’t wait to see what dance projects the band might pursue in the future.