ALL
dancer
ICH Elements 2
-
Spectacular art
Spectacular art is ancient form of folk theatre. Its roots are to be found in the shows of tribal times. It existed before and can be seen now, and it embodies and reflects themes in folk life. Notably, the word "oyin" ("game", 'dance") has been long associated with this art for. Almost all types and forms of professional folk spectacular arts (such as performances and shows by maskharaboz, qiziqchi (actors, clowns), raqqos (dancers), dorboz (rope walkers), nayrangboz (illuzionists), mullakchi (acrobats), chavandoz (horsemen), yogoch oyoq (stilt walkers), ayiq, echki, ilon, maymun oynatish (tamers of bears, goats, monkeys and snakes), askiyaboz (wisecrackers), qogirchoqboz (puppeteers)) were called with a single word – "oyin", while their performers – "oyinchi" (the ones, who perform this activity).
Uzbekistan -
Cheoyongmu
Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Cheoyongmu refers to a court dance performed by five dancers in five directions (west, east, north, south, and center). Hence it is also called Obang (quintet) Cheoyongmu. It is unique in that it is the only form of a court dance performed using human masks. Designated Important Intangible Cultural Heritage on January 8, 1971, Cheoyongmu is a grandiose, mystic dance performed by male dancers. At the end of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. – A.D. 935), King Heongang went on an excursion to the seaport of Gaeunpo (present-day Sejuk Village area in Hwangseong-dong) in the southeastern city of Ulsan. On his way back home, the king felt strange about the sky covered with dark clouds and fog and asked his retainers the reason. “As it is caused by the dragon in the east sea, it should be resolved by conducting good deeds,” a court astronomer replied. Therefore, when the king had a temple built for the dragon, the dark clouds disappeared and the dragon, along with his seven sons, emerged from the east sea and danced. One of the dragon’s sons, named Cheoyong, followed King Heongang to the capital, married a beautiful woman and held an official rank. One night, when Cheoyong returned home, he found the spirit of smallpox trying to attack his wife. As Cheoyong sang and danced, the smallpox spirit presented itself and kneeled in apology. Since then, people have attached an image of Cheoyong to the gate to dispel evil spirits and invite auspicious energies. Until the late Goryeo (918-1392) era, Cheoyongmu had been performed by a dancer, while by the reign of King Sejong (r. 1418-1450) of the Joseon Dynasty it was danced by five performers. According to the Akhak Gwebeom, or the Canon of Music, Cheoyongmu was performed twice at the narye ceremony, which was conducted on New Year’s Eve to ward off evil spirits and the god of death of the passing year. The five dancers are clad in white, blue, black, red and yellow, symbolizing the west, east, north, south and center respectively. Based on the theories of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, Cheoyongmu symbolizes the repelling of misfortune. The stately and vigorous movements reveal a valiant spirit and magnanimity. Cheoyongmu begins with proceeding toward the king to the music of sujecheon (“Long Life as Eternal as the Heavens”), singing the first line of “Cheoyongga” (Song of Cheoyong) with the words “silla seongdae soseongdae” (“Silla, the period of brightness and greatness”) in the lyric song rhythm of eolnak. Then, the dancers bow to the king and move to the center of the stage to the music of hyangdang gyoju (ensemble by Korean and Tang instruments). To the slow tempo music of seryeongsan (“Mt. Seryeongsan”), they form a square to dance sanjak hwamu (“Scattering in the Form of a Flower”) and rotate to the right. As the formation is changed to a cross, the music is also changed to samhyeon dodeuri (slow 6/4 beat music by three strings). After the dances of suyang sumu (“Dangled and Raised Hands Dance”) and mureup dipimu (“Moving Knee to Change Direction”), the dancers change the formation into a circle and rotate to the left. As the formation is changed to a straight line again, they recite a verse from the Song of Cheoyong, saying “sanha cheolniguk” (“To mountains or fields that are far away”) in the lyric song rhythm of pyeonak and then leave the stage, dancing nakhwa yusu (“Falling Petals and Flowing Streams”) to the music of songgu yeojigok (a sort of dodeuri). In light wine color, the Cheoyong mask features white teeth, tin earrings with a lead bead, and a black official hat decorated with two blossoms of peonies and seven peaches. The light wine color and peaches symbolize warding off the evil spirit, while peonies signify inviting auspicious energies.
South Korea 2009
ICH Materials 2
-
CHEOYONGMU: DANCING TO THE PROPITIOUS CYCLES OF NATURECheoyongmu is a traditional Korean dance per formed by five masked dancers, each dressed in a robe of a different color. The five colors —blue, red, yellow, black, and white—define and express the character of the dance as they represent the ohaeng (五行) ideology of Korean tradition.Year2014NationSouth Korea
-
Cheoyongmu, the New Year’s Eve DanceIn the traditional society, on New Year’s Eve, the day before January 1st of the lunar calendar, the civilians and the royal court held a Narye ceremony to welcome the new year. Narye is an event to drive out the evil spirits of last year and pray for peace. In the private sector, green bamboos with nodes were burnt to make explosive sounds in order to frighten the evil spirits way from the house. Even in the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty, they wore a naryero mask and walked around the palace playing jegeum(Korean cymbals) and drums. This ceremony is the Cheoyongmu (meaning Dance of Cheoyong), a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.\n\nCheoyongmu is based on the Cheoyong tale. Records related to Cheoyong can be found in Samguk Yusa, the historical book. According to records, Cheoyong was a person during the reign of King Heongang of Unified Silla. Cheoyong discovers that while he was away from home, the spirit of plague comes and secretly slept with his wife. However, Cheoyong sang and danced and withdrew, and the spirit who repented of his mistake by Cheoyong’s attitude vowed not to appear before him again. Afterwards, in private houses, the image of Cheoyong was attached to the gate to ward off the bad spirits, and Cheoyong took on the meaning of driving out evil spirits and welcoming auspicious events.\n\nBecause of this story, Cheoyongmu was an indispensable dance in the royal court narye. The current Cheoyongmu was prepared during the Joseon Dynasty and is performed by five male dancers. The dancers wear blue, white, red, black, and yellow robes and a Cheoyong mask decorated with tin earrings, peonies, and peach fruits on red skin. All of these decorative elements of the masks symbolize as the amulets of warding off the bad spirit and welcoming the auspicious events. Cheoyongmu has its origins in the aforementioned period of King Heongang of Unified Silla, and has been transmitted to this day. As the historical origin is long, it has rich artistry and value, and in recognition of this, it was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.\n\nCheoyongmu has freely crossed between the civilian and the royal courts, spreading through in various forms such as dance, writing, and oral tradition, resulting in many changes and developments. Today, Cheoyong is recreated and enjoyed as a “living heritage” with various popular cultural contents such as creative dance, animation, and drama, and Cheoyong’s long vitality and symbolism are noteworthy. The reason is that court dance which had strict content and form and was an art for the few, is passively reproduced and slowly approaching the public as opposed to folk dances combined with various media and styles in modern society.\n\nIn the past, before the development of science and medicine, in traditional societies that were vulnerable to natural disasters and diseases, amuletic events such as Cheoyongmu were held to prevent diseases and bad luck in the New Year. In modern society, amuletic rites are no longer held at the national and private level, but people today are living with the rites of passage for the new year, such as eating red bean porridge or ringing of the Bosingak bell. The new year is a time when hope and anxiety for the future intersect. Even if the way of living in the past and the present changes and the form and method of spending the old year and welcoming the new year are different, wishing for good luck will be the wind that runs through the century. I conclude this article with a speculation that these winds may be bringing life to the 21st century Cheoyong.\n\nphoto : Cheoyongmu © Taewook KimYear2022NationSouth Korea