Folk
Dance
Many folk dances choreographed by Halla Huhm are part of the Studio repertoire. The following exemplify repertoire of this type (descriptions are based on information in programs from performances by the Halla Huhm Dance Studio).
Noin
Ch'um (Old
Man's Dance)
This
dance was choreographed by Halla Huhm and became her
signature piece. It portrays an old man who hears
music and yearns to regain a bit of his youth so that he can
dance once more. After sipping wine he finds that his mind
is willing but his body cannot keep up with the vigorous
movements.
Kanggang
Suwollae
(Traditional Folk Dance song)
The
origins of this female circle dance-song of Cholla Province
go back to the period of Japanese invasion in the 16th
century. Ladies near the battlefield gathered in
groups around bonfires to give the enemy the impression that
there were huge guard forces stationed along the coast.
After the war, the women of this southwestern coastal area
set aside an evening during autumn to commemorate this
event.
Kommu
(Sword Dance)
There
are variations of sword dances in both the court and folk
tradition. The costumes worn in this dance reflect
the military influence of the dance's origins.
Sungmo
(Monk's Dance)
Based
on a traditional Buddhist dance, this is one of the most
important folk dances in Korea today. The dancer
manipulates the long sleeves in graceful movements and plays
a drum which, according to one story, expresses the agony of
the secular world and the overcoming of worldly
passions.
The following are pictures of various folk dances in the studio repertoire:
