Tradition & Its Changes: Traditional and Contemporary Korean Dance and Music October 24, 2008

Tradition & Its Changes
Traditional and Contemporary Korean Dance and Music

Performed by In-Young Sohn's NOW Dance Company

There are over 300 types of traditional dances taught and performed in Korea. Come to the fall 2008 tour of Tradition & Its Changes: Traditional and Contemporary Korean Dance and Music, performed by the Seoul-based NOW Dance Company, for a sampling of Korea’s dance heritage and its innovative contemporary choreography. The show will feature eight music and dance numbers, ranging from the ancient, spiritual whirling of Korean shamans in munyŏmu, to the stark, modern movements of the hŏjŏng.

The dance routines of Tradition & Its Changes are drawn from over a thousand years of Korean history. They include the Chinju Kŏmmu, a traditional palace dance performed by a troupe of female dancers who swoop and swirl while skillfully wielding stylized swords, as well as the Munyŏmu, a ritual dance performed by Korean shamans in order to lift them to a higher state of consciousness. Throughout the performance, the dances are infused with new rhythms and movements that capture the vitality of contemporary Korean choreography. The performance reaches its climax with Kabae, an exuberant, 25-minute farmers' dance meant to celebrate the harvest.

Official Website: http://www.koreasociety.org/arts/performing_arts/tradition_and_its_changes.html