Korean Dance

Korean dance is one of excellent cultural heritage of the Korean nation.

It is peculiar to Korean dance to put the main stress on the movements of upper parts of the body and naturally combine them with the movements of feet so as to move the whole body in a harmonious way.

Korean dance with moderate movements is powerful, soft and elegant. It has more soft and curvilinear movements than immoderate ones, and it has no such movements as excessive running and rapid swing. Though it puts the main stress on the movements of upper parts of the body, there are not so many hand movements. As it gives priority to moving the whole arms tenderly, its formative beauty is refined, elegant and fascinating.

The movements of Korean dance are neither too fast nor too slow.

As their speed is moderate to create a lyric flow, all the movements and rhythms are soft yet powerful.

Korean dance, which is soft, strong in formative representation and vivid in dramatic line, can represent vibrant spirit in quiet and graceful flow as well as gentle emotion in dynamic flow. Such rhythmic characteristics can be found only in the Korean dance.

It has a time-honoured tradition spanning thousands of years.

Korean dance, which began to develop from ancient times, representing the national characteristics, improved in the middle ages while ceaselessly supplementing its techniques, movements and depiction methods in reflection of the Koreans’ working life and customs. Even after the lapse of many years, its peculiar lyrical colour and features remain unchanged and the Koreans have splendidly depicted their feelings and emotions in life by means of dancing techniques with strong national character. Its excellent techniques are represented on folk dance which has been developed by wisdom and artistic talents of the Korean people.

Typical folk dances are Nongakmu, Tondollari, Kanggangsuwollae, etc.

Folk dances are strong in rhythms. They are played by moving shoulders and feet up and down, and swinging arms in a charming way.

Today, Korean dance is further developing into an improved form of dance in keeping with the aesthetic taste of people in the present era while preserving the national dance movements.