This study aims to establish the category of Korean traditional dance, in which Korean aesthetic consciousness and spiritual culture are embedded. The purpose is to explore the cultural-historical and policy implications of its inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. By analyzing historical literature and current state of domestic transmission, the study approaches the subject from perspective of ‘typical form [jeonhyeong]’ the intersection of tradition and modern transmission. The results confirm that dance forms redefined as stage arts in the modern era constitute the foundation of contemporary Korean traditional dance Furthermore, UNESCO inscription facilitates the globalization of the identity of Korean arts and shifts the policy paradigm from ‘preservation’ to sustainable ‘transmission and promotion.’ This study is significant in proposing a cultural-historical category for Korean traditional dance and presenting policy recommendations for UNESCO inscription. It serves as a scholarly and policy foundation encompassing both the preservation of archetypal forms and modern re-creation.

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.

With the prosperity of Chinese folk dance creations, especially the development of the dance performances represented by the Lotus Awards and Tao Li Cup, the technical skills of national folk dances are further promoted to a new height. Its development, however, generates two problems. First of all, the technical characteristics of styles are diminishing and tend tocome be homogeneous. Second, the pursuit of techniques with ultra-high difficulties makes the creative vocabularies hollow and devoid of content and typicality. This paper adopts the methods of investigation, observation and literature research to analyze the related technical skills in the creation of folk dances in Chinese dance circles. The purpose is to emphasize that the creation of Chinese folk dances should be traced back to their origins, and to bring forth new ideas in three aspects: stylization, emotionalization and artistry, starting from the characteristics of technical skills. In order to break through, its form should be more epitomous in culture and more typical in aesthetics. Only in this way can the technical skills of Chinese folk dances become truly prosperous.