The style and characteristics of Korean farm music and dance

Korean Farm Music and Dance·Elephant Hat Dance

Declaration area or unit: Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province

During the performance of farm music and dance, each village sent its own A mighty dance team participates in local celebrations. The front of the dance team is led by the imperial flag and an agricultural flag with the words "Agriculture is the foundation of the world", followed by a man who plays a small gong at the head of the team and serves as the general commander. Under his leadership, a band holding flutes, trumpets and various drum instruments and various disguised figures formed the ceremonial guard part of the dance team. Next is a team of actors performing small drum dance, flat drum drum, long drum dance, fan dance, crane dance, elephant hat dance, mask dance and mime. There is no limit to the number of participants. Elephant hat dance is an important form of agricultural music and dance, with various types and dance techniques. It is divided into "long elephant hat", "medium elephant hat", "short elephant hat", "thread elephant hat" and "feather elephant hat". , "Tail Elephant Hat", "Spark Elephant Hat" and other types. The techniques of swinging the elephant's tail include left and right swings, front and back swings, single swings, double swings, or even triple swings, standing swings, squatting swings, kneeling swings, and fluttering on the ground. The tail of an elephant is several feet long, and some are several feet long. Swinging the elephant hat is the basic movement of the elephant hat dance, and it is also the unique feature of its performance skills. During the performance, the dancers use the power of their necks to frequently shake their heads, and perform a variety of new tricks, including "flat elephant swing", "left and right elephant swing", "main elephant swing" and "shaking dewdrop elephant", etc. While jumping, he performs difficult movements such as "stepping with an elephant" and "leaning over to throw an elephant", driving the streamers on the hat to form dynamic circles with smooth lines, giving viewers a pleasing aesthetic feeling. The Elephant Hat Dance is a group performance, and its performance is very particular, with certain steps and procedures. First, when the music starts, start with a short elephant hat and a tambourine, and perform simple dance movements; then switch to a medium elephant hat, and a long drum, and perform body movements such as drilling circles, spinners, and ground support flips; finally, from one to The three people swung their long elephant hats and performed difficult movements such as jumping on paper strips, climbing up steps, and encircling people, bringing the dance to its climax. During the dance, the dance is always accompanied by musical instruments such as tambourine, long drum, side drum, large gong, small gold, dongxiao, piccolo and Korean suona. Elephant hat dance is lively and elegant, with a cheerful and comfortable rhythm, which fully reflects the spirit and national temperament of the Korean people in labor, and is a precious wealth created by the Korean people in their long-term life.

Production technology

The special production technology of the elephant hat determines the performance method of the elephant hat dance. In the earliest times, elephant hats were made from gourds sawed in half. A wooden stick was inserted into the bottom, and then a long piece of window paper was tied with a cowhide rope to fix it on the wooden stick. There are many types of hats worn by dancers, most of which are made of hard plastic. The ribbons have also evolved into a kind of "cellophane". They are divided into long elephant hats, medium elephant hats, short elephant hats and string elephant hats due to different characteristics. , feather elephant hat, sparkle elephant hat, etc. The long, medium and short elephant hats are named after the different lengths of their ribbons. The short one is only over 1 meter, the long one reaches 12 meters, and the longest one is currently 28 meters. Others are named after the different materials and decorations of the ribbons and hats. For example, the Feather Elephant Hat is named after 10 egret feathers tied together and tied on the top of the elephant hat to form a swinging belt; the Sparkle Elephant Hat is named after Dozens of fireflies are tied to long straps, and the performance looks like fireflies flying up and down, which is extremely dazzling.

Korean Farm Music and Dance·Begging for Grain Dance

Application area or unit: Benxi City, Liaoning Province

Begging for Grain Dance is a self-entertainment folk dance. It not only absorbs the essence of the "double-layer dance" during the tug-of-war competition, but also integrates the singing and dancing part of the "begging for grains" activity into it, thus forming a unique performance form. The Beggar Dance has a relatively stable traditional formula, but it is not completely restricted by the traditional formula. Performers can dance according to the mood of the scene, and the whole dance is highly improvisational. When the performer's mood is high, everyone shows off their magic skills. The male shakes the elephant hat, making the long tassel at the top fly, drawing a beautiful arc; the girl spins quickly while beating the long drum, conveying emotions with the movement and beauty of the body; the elderly The performers not only pay attention to the charm of the dance, but also pay attention to posture, with many changes in movements, and can express the joy in their hearts vividly through improvisation. The Beggar Dance has many participants and has wide influence. It is a typical representative of Korean farmer group dance.

During every festival and celebration, there are many people participating in the performance and the scene is grand, so someone needs to come out to host and guide the dance team into the performance venue. From the entrance of the dance team to the various formation changes until they dance to their fullest, the performance routine is relatively stable. During Korean activities such as "Zhou Zhou", "Hui Jia Festival" and "Hui Wedding Festival", due to the limitations of the performance venue and the number of participants, there is no need to enter the venue or walk in formation. Therefore, the performance routine changes relatively. Adapting measures to local conditions and changing emotions form the main characteristics of the begging dance performance form. Performances of the Beggar Dance (taking festival performances as an example) need to be performed in a spacious venue, and can be participated by men, women, old and young. Each performance can range from dozens to hundreds of people, but long drummers and round drummers are indispensable. The scene was lively and the lineup was strong. When entering, in front of the dance team are young men and old people wearing "photography hats". They keep shaking the long colorful silk on their hats. Following closely behind was the commander-in-chief of the entire dance team, an old man who was highly respected in the village. He held a cymbal in his hand, beat the rhythm as he walked, and guided the dance team to appear. In order, there are two round drummers, two long drummers, young men and women and elderly people in the dance team. At the end of the dance team is the male actor performing the "double-decker dance". On their shoulders stood a child, holding colorful silk (or flowers) in his hands, dancing constantly. In the "double-decker dance", there must also be an old man who is over sixty years old, occupying the prominent position that an elder should occupy. After the dance team came on stage, a large circle gradually formed. Round drummers, long drummers, young men and women, and old people came down to the stage one by one to perform their best skills. After the climax, the performers will return to their positions and exit in formation amid the sound of the conductor's cymbals. The beggar dance is mainly performed in major festivals or large-scale activities of the Korean people, such as Zuozhou (first birthday), Huijia (sixtieth birthday), Huiwen (60th wedding anniversary) or weddings, store openings, construction and When the temple is being repaired, the elders in the village will take the lead and organize singing and dancing performances. The beggar dance is mostly passed down through families.

Customs

The Korean people are good at singing and dancing. Whether it is a festive occasion or a family gathering, it is common for men, women and children to dance to the steady beats of drums and gayageum. The Koreans living under the Changbai Mountains in Northeast my country have been engaged in northern rice production for a long time. In order to facilitate large-area rice planting and management, they often adopt the form of collective labor and mutual cooperation. Whenever people go to the fields, they take "biangu" and "suona" with them to the fields along with farm tools. During breaks, people dance impromptu to the bright drum music, washing away fatigue with joyful singing and dancing. Over time, these impromptu songs and dances gradually formed recreational Korean folk dances, which are used throughout various traditional folk activities.

Cultural Characteristics

The Korean representative traditional folk activity "Farm Music and Dance", which originated from agricultural work and has ancient sacrificial elements, generally has two forms, one is dance The other type is a mass performance with warm and rich traditional dance as the content at the beginning of the new year and the harvest season. At that time, each village will send its own mighty "farm music and dance" dance team to participate in the local celebration. The front of the dance team is led by the "order flag" and an "agricultural flag" with the words "Agriculture is the foundation of the world", followed by a man who plays a "small gong" at the head of the team as the general conductor. Under his leadership, a band holding "Taiping Flute", "Trumpet", various drum instruments, and various disguised figures formed the ceremonial part of the "Nong Music and Dance" dance team. Next is the team of performers who will perform "Small Drum Dance", "Flat Drum Dance", "Long Drum Dance", "Fan Dance", "Crane Dance", "Elephant Hat Dance", "Mask Dance" and "Mime". The performance of "Farm Music and Dance" consists of twelve parts. There are the "Small Drum Dance" performed by young men, the "Stacking Arhat" performed by dancing children, the traditional "Bian Drum Dance" performed by many people, the "Long Drum Dance" performed by both men and women, and the "Long Drum Dance" performed by many people holding large flower fans. The "Fan Dance" of the "Witch Dance", the "Crane Dance" of the false form dance, and the last men's "Elephant Hat Dance".

First, under the beating of the "small gong" with different rhythms, the "small drum dance" performed by young men appeared first as the stylized opening program of the "nong music and dance", followed closely by a group of dancing children on the "Yanfeng Terrace" "With the accompaniment of music, various formations and queue changes and "stacked Arhat" performances are performed with rapid rotating movements. As the show progresses, the artistry of the dance performance becomes more and more intense. The traditional "Bian Gu" performed by many people is a kind of "Drum" that both men and women can participate in. The size of the "flat drum" used by each person varies according to gender. Men's performances are mainly group dances, with dancers running and jumping amidst the fierce and jubilant drumbeats, fully demonstrating the masculinity of men. The solo dance of a woman carrying a "flat drum" must not only demonstrate diverse and skillful drumming skills, but also show the strength of North Korean women under the frequent beats, beats and rhythmic, rapid and slow sounds of the "flat drum". The dance is soft and gentle, free and powerful. These two unique styles of "flat drum" will always attract people's applause of praise.

Although the Korean "Long Drum Dance" is now familiar to everyone, many people mistakenly believe that this dance is just a Korean women's dance. In fact, the folk "Chang Drum Dance" is a dance that can be performed by both men and women. "Changgu" is one of the instruments with the most beautiful and unique sound among the Chao ethnic instruments. It has a slender body and a slender waist. The drum skins at both ends have different tones. It is struck with drumsticks, whips and palms, giving it rich expressive power and characteristics. The "long drum" is a musical instrument and a popular dance tool. Accompanied by the melodious gayageum, they held a thin bamboo "drum whip" about 30 centimeters long in their right hands. With the cooperation of the palms of their left hands, they struck crisp, harmonious and different sounds from the left and right drum heads. . Amid the music, a group of dancers wearing white shorts, light red floor-length skirts, and "long drums" tied to their chests moved around the stage with gentle steps like gurgling spring water. Their graceful dancing postures with relaxed shoulders and raised arms, their light bodies as soft as wax flames, as moving as weeping willows, and their leisurely dancing like white cranes about to take flight, are intoxicating and fascinating. After a slow version, the dancer took out another wooden drumstick and beat a strong and fast rhythm. The dance entered a wild and rapid whirl with the drum music, vigorous and unrestrained. At this time, performers who are intoxicated with the climax begin to show off their "unique skills" that show their personal "encouragement" skills, pushing the performance atmosphere to the climax. After the "Long Drum Dance", many people holding large flower fans began to perform the "Fan Dance" which originated from the ancient "Witch Dance". Dancers use single or double fans to perform patterns and shapes. Next is the masquerading dance. A group of red-crowned cranes dressed as beautiful long-necked crane heads and two black wings took long, light and elegant steps and performed the "Crane Dance" with wings spread to pray for people's future good luck and peace. The men’s “elephant hat dance”, which is the final highlight of the “nong music and dance”, is a dance that has always attracted attention and excitement. Young men dressed in festive costumes and round hats with colorful ribbons on their heads performed successively while standing, walking, leaning and turning on the ground, using their heads to throw the ribbons out of horizontal, vertical, and inclined arcs. . There are even more skilled people in the center of the venue, performing the difficult skill of swinging a 20-meter-long ribbon. Suddenly, a number of colorful ribbons appeared everywhere, like thousands of neon lights appearing across the sky, like thousands of silk rain falling into the blue sky, making people dizzy and imaginative. During the climax, the dancers holding "small drums" and hanging "flat drums" and "long drums" appeared again and danced again amidst the flying ribbons, marking the end of the "nong music and dance". After the rich and enthusiastic "farmer music and dance", people will turn to self-entertaining collective self-entertainment dance as a continuation of celebrating the festival.