Hyderabad: Lack of a common language made off-stage interaction with the Korean dancers difficult. But such boundaries disappeared when the artistes took to the stage and let the language of dance and music take over.
A troupe of six performed in the city, first at a medical conference and then at a show for the public at Saptaparni over the weekend. The performances were held to commemorate the birthday of Buddha. The performance that they staged portrayed just two scenes from the traditional seven episodes.
The first presentation was the episode of Eight Buddhist Monks, who indulge in reciting poetry, singing and dancing, instead of practicing asceticism according to the calling of the Buddhist doctrine.
“But since there weren’t eight of us, for our presentation in Hyderabad, we had only four monks,” said Jo Ae Ra, the musician of the group who could speak a bit of English.
Among the drum dancers were Park Won Muk, Yun Ki Yong, while the two dancers who played the Lion in the second act were Cho Ju Hyun and Chang Gye Yun. The Lion Dance follows the tale of when a lion is sent by the Buddhist teachers to punish the eight monks.
“The Korean masque dance dramas originate from North Korea, specifically in a town called Bongsan, but we are from South Korea,” said Jo Ae Ra.
Bongsan mask dance is just one of the traditions of masque dances from the region which deal with varied subjects — from exorcism to love triangles. However, Bongsan style showcases three types of dramatic action: satire involving the apostasy of monks, mockery of the aristocracy, and portrayal of the daily life of the common people.
The performance that the city saw and the group who continue this tradition also hold a big significance. It’s an art form that needs revival and fortunately, the Korean government has been on the mission since the 1960s.
“The Bongsan Mask Dance Drama has been designated an ‘Important Intangible Cultural Property’ by the Korean government. Among the designated human treasures of the first generation of the Bongsan Mask Dance Drama, some have passed away. Now, four players are recognised as performers qualified to preserve this mask dance drama. They are Mme Yang So Un, Mme. Yun Ok, Kim Ki Soo and Mme Kim Ae Sun,” the group says.
