history

Sword dance is an age-old folk dance reflecting the Korean ancestors’ spirit of attaching importance to military affairs.

Widely disseminated as a military dance in the period of Koguryo (277 BC-AD 668), it depicts the optimistic way of life of the contemporary people who practised martial arts and built up their bodies. 

It is divided into long sword dance and short sword dance. 

Mostly performed by men, the former dance rhythmically portrayed battle scenes, training and militant spirit. 

The latter one was popular in the period of the feudal Joson dynasty (1392-1910), and it was handed down to modern times. 

It was performed mostly by women with short swords designed to move a handle and blade separately or together in a fixed state. 

Modern versions of the folk dance have been created along with the development of the times and put on the stage.