Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is the Korean farmersā dance performed?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
folk dance
Peasant Dance, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
The Korean farmersā dance is a lively and earthy folk dance typically performed during festivals and celebrations.1
The dance is performed by a group of men who move in a single-file circle around the performance space. Key elements of the performance include:1
- Movement: Dancers lift each knee high as they move. They also incorporate traditional Korean dance characteristics, such as sliding the feet forward to end with an upturned toe and the rhythmic lifting and lowering of the shoulders.1
- Attire: Participants wear loose, pajama-style clothing traditional to rural Korea.1
- Props: The dancers carry drums as they perform.1
- Streamers: Each dancer wears a helmet-like hat adorned with long streamers. A signature moment of the dance occurs when the performers vigorously rotate their heads, causing the streamers to fly out in a whirligig motion.1
The dance is characterized by its energetic style, which contrasts with the slower, more refined nature of Korean classical court dances.1