Perspectives on Korean Dance

From palace to village street to international stage, Korean dance is a vibrant and complex art comprised of many different forms. In Perspectives on Korean Dance, Judy Van Zile brings together the first comprehensive English language study of this multifaceted art. Van Zile's broad overview includes explanations of key terminology and iconography, as well as discussions of the Korean National Treasure system, the role of shamanic dances when they are performed outside of sacred or ritual contexts, and facets of the careers of Kim Ch'on-hung, a former court dancer, and Ch'oe Sung-hui, who toured the US in the late 1930s. A final chapter examines the role of Korean dance in Hawai'i, where it is an important and at times contested identity marker for residents of Korean ancestry.

Explorations of specific dances and dancers illustrate how Korean dance functions in a variety of contexts as an expression of cultural identity. As Van Zile shows, the forms of Korean dance have been modified and reinvented through the process of cross cultural influence, through colonialism, governmental support and intervention, and community building among emigrants as they vie for legitimacy on the national and international stages. The book is lavishly illustrated with 42 color plates and includes a helpful glossary of Korean terms.