The peasant dance created and developed by our people over a long period of time is a Korean folk art where people sing and dance merrily drumming several kinds of percussion instruments like a drum, a gong, a small gong, janggu and a small drum and skillfully turning round decorative tassels. Loved and enjoyed most by our people, it fully reflects the national feelings and sentiments by dint of peculiar depictive elements such as Korean dance moves, Korean tune, Korean folk songs and national instruments, national costumes and decorative tassels, all of which are full of national flavor.
The peasant dance is the oldest of all forms of folk art created by our people. Its birth and development are based on the farm work of our ancestors in early primitive years. Being passed down along with the long national history, it has given our people a hope of life and romance and developed into a folk art reflecting the peculiar emotion of the Korean nation. There are several arrangements of the peasant dance, but it is largely divided into three ― a road dance where a peasant music and dancing group advances in procession to attract people to the dancing venue; a concert dance where several kinds of dancing, instrumental music performance and folk songs are harmoniously combined; a private dance where individual dancers demonstrate their dancing techniques one after another. Unlike other forms of folk art, the peasant dance has a unique feature, i.e. turning of 12-fathom decorative tassels, which adds a lot more excitement to the atmosphere of the dancing venue. Such dancing props as decorative tassels are seen only in the peasant dance of our country.
The peasant dance is a popular folk dance that has always existed in the lives of our people. In popular folk games and on holidays, it boosted merry atmosphere and when they were working, it encouraged their spirit for raising the work efficiency. In the anti-aggression, anti-feudal struggles, it was the cause of horror for enemies but the source of confidence for our people.
The peasant dance still plays an important part in carrying forward the unique traditions of our national art. Today, it resounds even louder all over the cooperative fields of our country and it is giving a full rein to the vitality as a popular form of mass art.
Kim Son Yong, researcher at the Academy of Social Sciences
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