This study analyzes the structural and characteristics principles of the ‘Basic Dance’ established by Kim Paik-bong. As research methods, I conduct archival research, oral histories from in-depth interviews, and an embodied observation analysis based on practice-based research. As a result, I illuminate the background of the formation of the format and the foundation of the structural system, and classify the structural principles with seven elements to identify the characteristics. ‘Kim Paik-bong’s Basic Dance’ is a ‘technical system’, ‘movement principle system’, and ‘shaping principle system’, which can be defined as the typicality, identity, and uniqueness of Kim Paik-bong dance, a latent creative concept and principle. Therefore, the Basic Dance of Kim Paik-bong is the cornerstone of creative repository in identifying and preserving her artistic world. As the foundation of her art form, it will present the ideal of recreation as a ‘prototype’ and ‘example’.

In studying dance history of Korea, diverse patterns of dance are discovered in murals, historical remains, and royal rites. Then, how should dances contained in visual materials be understood? This study aims to examine the method of analyzing dance depicted in paintings to research the history of dance. To that end, Panofsky’s iconological method, used in researching the history of fine art, was used to examine dances depicted in murals. Research was conducted in the following procedure. First, the concept and principle of iconology, focused on the historical background of iconography and iconology, were reviewed, and recent iconological arguments were examined. Second, how to apply the iconological method to dance was discussed. Third, through Panofsky’s iconological gradual analysis method, the iconography of the right-hand mural in Goguryeo Jangcheon No. 1 Tomb’s Anterior Chamber was described and analyzed to define its meaning. The findings of this study are outlined as follows. According to previous iconological description, the iconography of dance depicted in the right-hand mural in Jangcheon No. 1 Tomb’s Anterior Chamber features a Goguryeo person performing both-arm dance and lotus dance to the accompaniment of a string instrument. According to the iconological analysis, the dancer performs Buddhist-faith funeral dance. Such ritual dance contains the cult of wishing the dead person’s soul will well reach the nether world, as well as the wish that the dead person will lead a happy life in the nether world. According to the iconological interpretation, Goguryeo sleeve dance changed and developed into today’s Hansam, Jangsam and other diverse sleeve dances. Goguryeo dance contains the essential life meaning, and although the themes and concepts of dance may vary according to times and works, all dances are the expression of life and the heart of wishing for a good life; thus, the life, the essence of Goguryeo, was analyzed as the universal essence and inherent meaning of Korean dance. This study is significant in that it prepared a framework to research dances depicted in paintings, and proved that iconology can contribute to diverse analyses in researching the history of dance. Iconological research on dances illustrated in visual materials is expected to continue.

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in male choreographers’ work in Korean dance, as demonstrated in “12 Korean Contemporary Dance Choreographers’ Showcase.” For this study, the researcher observed the showcase before collecting and organizing critiques about the showcases from dance magazines, such as 󰡔Auditorium󰡕, 󰡔Performance and Review󰡕, 󰡔Dance Forum󰡕, 󰡔MOMM󰡕, 󰡔Dance Korea󰡕, 󰡔Dance󰡕, and 󰡔Dance and People󰡕. These articles were collected from performance pamphlets and related news in the 1990s or earlier from the Internet News Libraries (newslibrary.naver.com). The researcher also interviewed and communicated via email with the choreographers who participated in the showcase. The interviews included questions about background information in creating the work, the focus of the dances, and their points of view. From 1987 to 2005, a total of 15 male choreographers in Korean dance participated in”12 Korean Contemporary Dance Choreographers’ Showcase,” composing a total of 26 performances. Gook Soo-Ho participated in the showcase eight times, including two repeat performances. As this showcase emphasized premieres, Jeong Jae-Man had three performances, Chae Sang-Mook had two performances, and Kim Yong-Cheol had two performances. The Other 11 choreographers had one performance each. The choreographers demonstrated various themes in “12 Korean Contemporary Dance Choreographers’ Showcase.” Performances with the themes of fraternity and love for family included “By the River in North Korea” by Gook Soo-Ho and “Share” by Kim Seung-Il. Performances with themes of nihil and samsara included “Empty Boat,” “Gook Soo Ho’s Bolero,” “Garden of God Ⅰ- Nought (無)”by Gook Soo-Ho and “Mind Purifying Music” by Chae Sang-Mook. “Dance in the Sky” by Jeong Jae-Man illustrated the pursuit of an ideal, whereas “Sound of Dried Wild Flowers” by Chae Sang-Mook and “Light Wind” by Kim Yoon-Soo tried to overcome reality. There were also themes of exorcism (ritual ceremony) for the repose of souls: “Meditation of Myeonam” by Gook Soo-Ho, “Fever” by Im Gwan-Gyu, “Like Butterflies” by Lee Hong-Jae, and “Black Exorcism” by Kim, Yong-Cheol. Finally, there were themes of discovery of the ego and self-training, including “Danya (Red Bellow)” by Kim Yong-Cheol, “Shadow” by Kim Jeong-Hak, “Sad Song” by Han Sang-Geun, “Ego” by Lee Gyeong-Soo, and “Far Away” by Kim Nam-Yong. Since 1987, male choreographers in Korean dance have demonstrated unique performances in “12 Korean Contemporary Dance Choreographers’ Showcase,” presenting dance performances with religious and philosophical speculation. Generally, they emphasize themes about human beings and the environment. There are fewer female choreographers in Korean dance than male choreographers. However, female choreographers also try to show their spirit based on their lifestyles and experiences. As choreographers in Korean dance, they adopted the division of Korea and the Korean environment as a theme rather than showing the uniqueness of Korean traditional dance movements in developing Korean contemporary dance techniques.

There are 111 main conveniences that Korean dance has in common with history research areas. Both could be categorized as age, ryupa, kind, local, and life of five. This study analyzed Korean dance history in order to provide direction for the development of localized educational content. For this purpose, we redefined the needs and professional structure of the writers of Korean dance history around the cheotjae, or the contemporary Officer. The other purposes of this study were to ensure the clarity of the Korean dance category and to express the needs of the Korean council of dance-related institutions and organizations. Prior to the development of the orientation of the educational content, the universality, consistency, and originality of Korean dance would need to be combined. This would construct a systematic framework for the educational contents of the Korean traditional dance historical research.

Rooted in British sociologist Anthony Giddens’s description of modernity as a historical and cultural space that is “in various key respects discontinuous with the gamut of pre-modern cultures and ways of life”, this study seeks to contextualize Ch’oe Sŭng-hŭi’s life and legacy in relation to evolving ideas of modernity. Here I continue my concern with Ch’oe’s actual dancing. I first lay a foundation for moving forward by summarizing related previous findings. I then look at Ch’oe’s emerging aesthetic philosophy and artistic development in relation to modernity as it was becoming defined in dance in Japan, Korea, and elsewhere. I conclude that it was the diverse philosophies underlying the kids of dance with which Ch’oe became engaged that in effect gave her permission to develop artistically in the way she did, and that allowed for her changing embodiment of Korean modernity during the 1920s and 1930s.

This study focuses on the sociocultural and artistical interrelations between the "Korean Dance" and two of the most popular non-textual forms of mass media - commercial sound recordings (gramophone records) and films (feature films, newsreels, documentaries) - between the 1930s and 1960s. First, this study focuses on how gramophone records were employed through the Korean dance recitals during this period, as well as on what type of music was used in these recitals. Second, this paper examines the films documenting "Korean Dance" shot and produced during the time period in question, and discusses how these films were produced and how it has impacted establishing the "Korean Dance" through its mass distribution. By doing so, this paper attempts to provide a preliminary suggestion on how the "Korean Dance" has made its transitions over time, as well as an opportunity to historically understand the actual manifestation of "Korean dance" during its earlier days of a modern form of performing arts. It can be strongly argued that a strong sense of a historical parallel is revealed between the historic development of the Korean Dance in the early 20th century Korea and the development of the notion of Korean national culture, as both came into their modern manifestation through a series of constant interactions between Korean premodern cultures and the modern foreign cultures.

This paper presents an experimental discussion that examines previous literature and controversial discourses on dance history of Korea in order to suggest new ways of writing dance history. The dance history texts of the premodern time of dance history are mainly written by An Hwak, Kim Jaecheol, and Seong Gyeongrin after the Japanese rule. Most of these texts are restricted to introduce court dances in the literature due to the limited number of surviving materials. I suggest that dance history of premodern Korea would be discussed with more variety and depth if social and cultural perspectives are adopted. There are various discussions developed about the descriptions of modern dance history, however there is room for improvement in regards to the poor perceptions of the independent starting point of modern times and the concept of modernity. If the descriptions of dance history in Korea achieve expandability by embracing different genres and various literary methodologies as well as syntactic descriptions, the scope of awareness will broaden further for dance studies.