UNESCO designated Ganggangsullae as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 and Intangible Asset in 1966. Considered to be about 5000 years old is an East Asian dance style known as Ganggangsullae. This “women” dance is supposed to have originated in South Korea, and is supposed to also include elements belonging to “singing and playing”. This dance is mainly performed in the province of Jeollanam-do located on the south-western coast of the country.
The first Ganggangsullae, a female-only traditional performance of song and dance, took place on moonlit nights during the Chuseok (Harvest Moon Festival) on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month in Jeollanam-do. According to some, the dance was initially performed as part of a military strategy created by Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545–1588), Korea’s greatest naval hero, to surprise Japanese naval forces that were invading the southwest coast of the Korean Peninsula in the late 16th century and fool them into thinking he had sufficient forces to repel them.
While others conclude that the tradition of singing and dancing on moonlit nights can be traced back to prehistoric times when early settlers on the Korean Peninsula already had one established. Regardless of which explanation is more accurate, the dance continued to advance and become more complex. It eventually came to be linked to other traditional games like “bracken picking,” “herring tying,” “tile treading,” “tail picking,” “straw mat rolling,” “gatekeeping,” and “needle threading,” as well as “tortoise play,” in which one dancer circles the others while the others move to the center. The dance, which is still performed in Haenam and Jindo on Korea’s southwest coast, features a variety of thrilling movements and formations.
b. Costumes used in Ganggangsullae Dance:
In this study, we have focused on various types of traditional and everyday dance Ganggangsullae costumes. Categorizing costumes according to type, shape, and color, were explored. Traditional hanbok and saenghwal hanbok are the two types of traditional Ganggangsullae clothing.
The fusion hanbok, saenghwal hanbok, cheerleader uniform, and casual wear are just a few of the many types of costumes available in Ganggangsullae. They display current color palettes. They live in a society that values individualism, liberty, equality, and welfare. As a result, its costumes are simple and cozy.
Despite having different ideologies and costumes, traditional Ganggangsullae and daily dance Ganggangsullae share the quality of “playfulness.”
c. The music involved in the Ganggangsullae Dance:
The mode and musical structure of Namdo Korean folk songs. These qualities are highlighted in this lesson, which is centered on the 5,000-year-old Korean dance known as “Ganggangsullae” (“Kang-Kang-Soo-Woo-Nae”). Under a full moon, women typically perform this dance, which combines singing, dancing, and playing. Drawing, practicing melodic skills, singing a song form, writing lyrics, and circle dancing are some of the activities included in the cultural unit.
KOREA- GANGGANGSULLAE DANCE VIDEOS: