This study is to analyze the movements of Yeombulgwajang, a section in Seungmu, a Korean traditional dance, from a perspective of Greimas’ semiotics. For the analysis of the study, the movement principles of “contraction and expression” and “tying and untying,” which were derived from the philosophies of Yin-Yang and Reincarnation embedded in Seungmu, were discussed through the idea of Greimas’s semiotic square. The relationships between contraction and expression and between tying and untying are deemed to be confrontational; the relationships between expression and untying and between contraction and tying are regarded as hypothetical; the relationships between tying and expression and between contraction and untying are seemed to be contradictory. The meanings of the dance may be formed and interpreted diversely based on the various combinations of these elements. The study contributes to demonstrating a new way of interpreting inherent meanings in Seungmu.

Maru refers to a basic paragraph in Korean traditional dance, which can be long or short, depending on the performance conditions or the environment. This research aims to determine if there is a paragraph corresponding to Maru in court dance based on the previous study of Han Yeongsuk's Buddhist dance and Mokjung Dance of Bongsan Mask Dance. To this end, Cheoyongmu and Chunaengjeon, representative dances of Hyangakjeongjae, are studied in this paper. Furthermore, the paragraph that was classified by the Jipbagaksa hitting "Bak" was collectively referred to as "Bak paragraph" and the previous methodology on analyzing Maru was applied. As a result of this study, the following results have been obtained. First, the elements that make up "Bak paragraph" of court dance and Maru of traditional dance are lexical chumsawi. Both show similarities in meaning, type, and composition. The court martial arts series, however, shows independence of form and meaning through a simpler and more stable pattern. Furthermore, "Bak paragraph" and the Maru of traditional dance convey a certain message despite slight differences in their compositions. In addition, Maru refers to the phrase of court music as well as the instrumental music of Pungryubang, a chorus or refrain of a folk song. Therefore, "Bak paragraph" and Maru reflect the characteristics of court dance. Also, "Back paragraph" that contains specificity can be considered to represent Maru in a comprehensive sense.

This paper investigated the theme ‘creation’ with the focus on the Korean traditional dances. At first, the problems in the creation of existing Korean dances were analyzed. Through the analysis, the creative factors lacking in individual characteristics were presented and the introduction of the western-oriented concept of creation was critically examined. On the basis of the awareness on the difference of artistic concept between eastern and western world, the concept of creation was discussed in the transmission history of dances. Next, the frame of reference for the creation of the traditional dance was presented. It includes the formation of lines and surfaces through principle of circulation, the formation of dance styles based on the traditional breath method, the approach to interpret rhythms and the application of steps. In conclusion, the events inducing the creation of traditional dances were identified and presented in the ancient literature.

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of learning Korean dance among college students in America. The research questions how people of other cultures view changes in Korean dance through study, what beneficial changes occur, and how experiences are meaningful to them. To answer these questions, this study primarily relied on in-depth and semi-structured interviews with college students (4 Americans, 1 Chinese, and 1 African), in Massachusetts, who studied Korean traditional dance through a series of 19 classes, beginning on September 16th, 2014 and ending with a performance on March 3rd, 2015. All interviews were fully transcribed before the files were segmented and the subjects conceptualized using assigned codes. The results of this study are divided into three parts. First, before learning Korean dance, the research participants perceived it to be an interesting but unfamiliar dance, which they recognized from Korean Wave, and an elegant and beautiful dance, different from K-pop. After learning Korean dance, they perceived it to have flow and moderate strength. They believed that it allowed them to recognize their inner consciousness and be aware of their surroundings, facilitating communication with both. Participants also felt that the dance healed the spirit through deliberate movement, that it allowed the body’s energy to increase through concentration, that it coordinated the body’s movements organically, and that it symbolized the lives, philosophy, and respect for creation of the Korean people. Second, participants changed in four beneficial areas through study of Korean dance: 1) their strength, control, coordination, balance, and individual expression improved; 2) their awareness, memory, patience, focus, creativity, ability to communicate, sense of responsibility, mental coordination and control, and thoughtfulness improved; 3) they had a more positive attitude and perspective; and 4) they felt that they embodied the qualities of the Korean people, such as respect, elegance, and slowing down. Third, learning Korean dance was meaningful to the participants in the following four areas: 1) it was a challenge and an accomplishment, 2) they gained familiarity with Korean culture, 3) they became ambassadors for Korean culture, and 4) they felt both special and professional.

This paper was written from the perspective of non-reductive materialism to interpret choreographic changes and medium replacement in Korean traditional dance. Non-reductive materialism is a theory that all phenomena are mentally created from substances and that formed mental phenomena do not return to the substances from which they came. This principle was the matrix Danto used to explain the ontological status of artwork. Additionally, Margolis borrowed Strawson’s concept of person and applied it to assess art analogically. This same concept can be applied to explain dance; dance uses movement as a medium, which in turn uses humans as a medium, making humans the embodiment of a physical substance—the body. The physical substance, then, is the property of the medium, embodying the dance performance. Embodied dance contains the physical properties of the medium and intentional properties, such as mental phenomena, which do not belong to a physical property. Therefore, the relationship between medium, movement, and dance is non-reductive, and each is indivisibly soluble with the next. From this point of view, each dance performance produced from the same medium is independent and unique. Successive changes in Korean traditional dance are replacements of the fundamental medium. Successive dancers can obtain similarities to previous performances in their own dance by training with a former dancer. During training, breathing is a core principle of movement and an element that considerably influences dancers’ similarities. This process is called transmission. As a result, long-term similarity training is a primary factor when choosing successive dancers because they share the mental of traditional dances and choreography with their successors.

Byung-Choen Park’s Jindo Drum Dance is a masterpiece that strikes a balance between traditional Korean music and dance. As one of the most representative traditional dances, this dance has been loved and performed by many people for a long time. This study focuses on discovering the unique qualities of Byung-Choen Park’s Jindo Drum Dance by examining its movements through Laban Movement Analysis. Along with this analysis, this study also explores the special concepts and philosophical meanings embodied in the movements of the dance. As a Certified Laban Movement Analyst, the author analyzed the movements based on the dance film shown at Jin-do on November 7, 2008. The movement qualities of the Jindo Drum Dance are as follows. First, the dance employs both regular beats and irregular up-beats that cause disorder within order. Second, the limited torso movement while holding a drum enhances simultaneous and, consequently, harmonized arm and leg movements. Third, diverse arm and leg gestures draw curved and straight spatial designs by using peripheral and transverse spatial pathways. Fourth, in most performances, the dancer faces the front and right and left forward side directions based on the proscenium stage. Also, the diverse spatial directions of all body parts within a personal kinesphere create three-dimensional volumes with mixed diagonal lines within a cube. Fifth, the inner impulse of the movements demonstrates an Effort phrase, such as Action Drive, then Bound and Free Flow and Passion Drive, versus Remote or Mobile State. These Effort phrases reveal a unique Korean dance aesthetic, which consists of a harmonizing of Jeong Jung Dong-stability and mobility, as well as calm and active. Sixth, these five special qualities rely on a structure that includes principles of repetition. Repetitive movement qualities help audiences appreciate and evoke the unique Korean sentiment, Shin-myung. All of these movement qualities are well orchestrated in between two opposing poles, such as harmony and chaos, regular and irregular, soft and stiff, strong and weak, curved and straight, and feminine and masculine, which eventually imply the special Korean cultural concept of Jeong Jung Dong and Dong Jung Jeong, which is based on Yin-Yang philosophy.

This study analyzed traditional dance scenes in historical dramas and related internet articles in order to understand their contents and characteristics, assuming that contemporary media discourse has contributed to the production of traditional dance images. The subjects of the study are the traditional dance scenes from eight historical TV dramas, which were broadcasted in 2016: , , , , , , , and related articles posted on the news category of the portal website Naver. The study showed that the image of a traditional dance appearing in the traditional dance scenes was portrayed as a beautiful, mysterious, or powerful means of tempting viewers. Most of young, female main actors played the dancers, and the close-up shots focused on the performers' faces. The types of traditional dances exposed to the dramas and the appearance of their movements were not appropriate for the historical conditions, such as the background of the dramas or the status of the characters. In addition, the fact that the gender and status of the performers were confined to female dancers or female shamans could not go beyond the historical fact at all. In the content analysis of the internet articles, it was found that the names of traditional dances were not based on professional knowledge. It was also found that, when describing traditional dances and performers, similar expressions were used despite the different types of dances and narrative situations in each scene. This is related to the fact that the contents of the internet articles were provided by the agency of the female entertainers who played the actors and filtered through the portal site, rather than reflecting the intention of the drama's producer or entertainment media reporters. In other words, the internet articles promoting the traditional dance scenes were written as a means to increase the popularity of entertainers. Therefore, it should be noted that this bears many problems when propagated to the public as a traditional dance discourse. This study is significant, revealing the image of “dance”, “dancer”, and “dancing woman” in and out of the dance system by revealing the image of traditional dance produced by contemporary media and media discourse. Finally, it is hoped that this study can contribute to generalizing the images related to dance and preventing the excessive prejudice over dance.

The purpose of this study is to suggest a way to reconcile two conflicting concepts: the system of intangible cultural assets and creative succession of traditional dances. Among the terms for intangible cultural assets in Korea, ‘prototype’ was changed into ‘typifier’ because of the legal revision in 2016. In addition, the term, ‘human cultural assets’, which has been actually used was enacted. Typifier is an advanced concept which makes a bridge between intangible cultural assets and artistic notion, while human cultural assets are also a concept that acknowledges an indissolubility between dance and human being. In order to encourage creative succession, while maintaining and preserving the artistic view on intangible cultural assets, this study proposes the following suggestions. First, we should actively find and appreciate holders of human cultural asset in their 40s-50s. It would help activating the dances and forming an independent job field. Second, we should acknowledge more than two people as human cultural assets for an item, accepting various and creative successions. It leads to restraints power monopoly and to promote competition among them. Last, succession fees should be unified by the Cultural Heritage Administration for securing transparency and fairness of accounts. These would contribute to creative successions of Korean traditional dances in the system of intangible cultural assets.

The purpose of this article is to explain the characteristics of mind-heart and acknowledgement, emphasized in the practice of traditional korea dance, based on the theory of Wang Yangmyung's psychology. We examine the mind-heart, acknowledgement, and the art theory in 󰡔JJeonseubrok(the tradition records)󰡕along with the words emphasized by the masters of the traditional dance, and express them with a language that can be publicized. According to Wang Yangmyung's theory of psychology, we can say that what good mind stands for in "Good dance comes from good mind" is the state where the rightness is embodied in mind and that 'good dance' means the state where 'non-embodiment' of movement and 'non-embodiment' of emotion is realized. In particular, we must always pursue 'sincerity' in the domain of mind-heart, which we know alone. Through these languages, the internal and external value and meaning of Korean traditional dance can be revealed. There is a saying that "effective practice precedes theories of it." Effective practice of traditional dance has existed for a long time. However, the theory of its practice is not sufficient. This article attempts to theoretically explain the effective practice that has always been with us since a long time ago. This article has its significance in that it tries for the first time to theoretically explain the thesis of traditional dance, "Good dance comes from good mind" by using the mind-heart and the acknowledgement of dancer which was emphasized by traditional dancing masters. In particular, it is meaningful that it approached the theory of mind and acknowledgement theory of traditional dance based on the study of Wang Yangmyung.

Dutbeki is a local dance which has been transmitted by customs in Kyongsang area since ancient times. This is a formless dance that each of the villagers enjoyed with their own colors at seasonal farming events in the past. Today, however, Dutbeki is disappearing with a rapidly changing social environment. In this situation, the researcher is going to study the origin and present condition of Dutbeki, local dance of Ulsan area, to protect and transmit it to the future. The method is as follows. Regarding the origin of Ulsan Dutbeki, the researcher reviewed the records of life from the past in Ulsan area. As for the current status of transmission, the current status of the natural handover of Dutbeki in Ulsan area and the current status of it with the participation of the researcher, a native of Ulsan, are discussed. The folklorist Jung Sangbark has established Dutbeki, which had been called as a generic name, as a local intangible culture by attaching a local name to it. As a result, Dutbeki in Ulsan area was designated as Ulsan Dutbeki and the value as an intangible cultural heritage was obtained. In this context, this study has made an accomplishment of confirming the identity of the intangible cultural heritage in Ulsan by establishing the origin of Ulsan Dutbeki and examining the current status of its inheritance.