The Journal of Society for Dance Documentation & History

pISSN: 2383-5214 /eISSN: 2733-4279

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The Significance of the performances of the Korean-Russian art troupe in the Korean Dance History in the 1920s : From the Perspectives of the Diaspora Cultural Studies 1920년대 러시아한인예술단 내한공연의 무용사적 의미 : 디아스포라 문화연구의 관점으로 ×
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ISSN : 2383-5214(Print)
ISSN : 2733-4279(Online)
Asian Dance Journal Vol.34 pp.35-59
DOI : 10.26861/sddh.2014.34.35

1920년대 러시아한인예술단 내한공연의 무용사적 의미 : 디아스포라 문화연구의 관점으로

The Significance of the performances of the Korean-Russian art troupe in the Korean Dance History in the 1920s : From the Perspectives of the Diaspora Cultural Studies

양민아

Yang, Mina

Abstract

This research is about the performances of Korean immigrant art troupe, from Russia’s Vladivostok maritime province (Yonhaeju : Prismorsky Krai), that visited Korea in the early 1920s. Initially the performances aimed to raise funds to build churches and help Koreans in Russia suffering from economic difficulties due to prolonged droughts and the civil war in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. However, the performances gained nationwide popularity, introducing Western folk music and dancing to Korea, which became the driving force in spreading a dance craze throughout the country. These performances significantly influenced the history of Korean modern dance, best exemplified by Cho Taek-Won who was first introduced to modern dance by the troupe’s performances and who became one of three new dance (Shinmuyong) pioneers. It is rare in the field of Diaspora Studies that cultural influences come from the outside the mother country, as in the case of the Korean-Russian art troupe. This research, from the perspective of the Diaspora (in the socio-cultural context of the troupe as they were caught between Russia’s civil war, in the period after the 1917 Revolution through 1922, and Korea under occupation by imperial Japan) shows the characteristics and meaning of the performances on the history of Korean modern dance, through analysis of performance activities and structures, member composition, the role of major leaders, and the troupe’s repertory of performances. At the same time, this study provides a foundation to understand the Korean Diaspora in Russia Like Lee Kang, Han Yong-Hun and Kwak Byuing-Gyu, the leaders of the Korean art troupe in Russia were leaders of the religious community who had participated in the Korean Independence Movement in the maritime province of Russia. Most of them were non-professionals and each group had a small number of members. Their art form followed “Estrada,” a typical people’s performing art which were popular folk dance touring performances in Russia at the time. In the history of modern dance in Korea, the significance of the performances of the Korean immigrant art troupe from Russia is as follows. First, as the initial overseas Korean performing arts group, they inspired Koreans to pay attention to the problems of overseas Koreans through the promotion of their visit to Korea; they helped build a national identity across borders. Secondly, this art troupe, as part of the Korean Diaspora, became a cultural bridge between people in Korea and Koreans in Russia. Lastly, the art troupe supported the Korean Independence Movement. However, the performances were forced to stop, for political reasons, by the birth of the Soviet Union on December 30, 1922. Research methods include literature and library research, field surveys, including existing literature in the National Russian Library of East Asian Literature, materials made from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs kept in the National Institute of Korean History, Dong-A Ilbo, Mae-il Shinnbo, and Sunbong, the Korean newspaper published in the maritime province of Russia.

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