Dance has been a medium for understanding the philosophy of and emotions behind a culture. This is especially true for a country with a vast and complex history like Korea. Korean dance is a tradition that includes every form of contemporary dance in the country, from shamanistic to folk, court to modern traditional dance, and even breakdancing. Over the past several centuries, each of these unique dance forms has attempted to convey the Korean psyche. This book aims to examine Korean dance from its primitive roots to the complex court rituals and on to the pop culture styles of today. What sets Korean dance apart from that of other cultures will also be explored. Finally, readers will be able to delve into its broad range of forms and long history and gain a better understanding of its role in society.

Introduction 6

Chapter 1
Spirit of the People 10
Respect for Nature / Self-expression / Highly Emotional / Stillness /
Verticality / Props

Chapter 2
Folk Dance 20
Commoner Dances / Professional Dances / Ritual Dance

Chapter 3
Court Dance 40
Dangak Jeongjae / Hyangak Jeongjae

Chapter 4
The History of Korean Dance 56
Prehistoric Dances / Gojoseon / The Three Kingdoms / Goryeo Dynasty / Joseon Dynasty / New Traditional Dance

Chapter 5
Modern Dance 70
Ballet / B-boying / Meet the Crews / Competing on the Global Scene

Chapter 6
Dancers and Choreographers 82
The Dances of Royalty / Touches of Modernity / Preserving Tradition

Appendix
National Gugak Center 94
Modern Traditional Performance Halls 97
Education Centers 100