Geommu (also transliterated Gummu, Kommu) is a traditional sword dance practiced in Korea. Geommu is performed with special costume, dance moves, and music. The dance is known for its grace in performance.
Extra emphasis is placed on the movement of the costuming, notably the sleeves,
in harmony with the movements of the dancer. The symbolic use of ssang dan
geom, i.e. a replica of dual short swords, keeps to the militaristic origins of
this dance. Geom-mu has become a dance of great beauty and is treasured as the South Korea's 12th Important Intangible Cultural Property.
History[edit]
Detail from an early-19th-century Korean painting titled
"Ssanggeom daemu" (雙劍對舞) by Hyewon, depicting a kisaeng performing
Geommu.
According to legend, Geommu originated during the later
portion of the Three Kingdoms of
Korea with estimates placing it near 660 AD. At that time,
Korea was divided into the three kingdoms, Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo. The legend of Geommu states that a
young boy in Silla named Hwangchang had an unusual talent for sword dance.[1] His talent brought him great fame,
even in the enemy kingdom, Baekje. One day, a king of Baekje invited
him to his court to perform his great skill. The boy performed but in an act of
great defiance killed the king before the royal assembly. Hwangchang was
executed by the Baekje military.
People in Shilla expressed
their respect and sorrow at Hwangchang’s death by dancing in imitation of
Hwangchang’s
abilities, adorning a mask which was made to resemble his face. Thereafter, people
named this dance "Hwangchangmu”.[2]
Surviving as a folk dance and cultural asset, Geommu was
considerably changed during the Joseon Dynasty
period from 1392 through 1910. At that point Geommu was rearranged by the Royal
Court and recreated by the Kisaeng. The Kisaeng learned the formalized
dance through the Gwonbeon, a pre-Korean War performance
institution comparable to the Geisha tradition
of Japan.
One major change was the Kisaeng performers
discontinued wearing the traditional mask while dancing Geommu. Geommu has
remained a Court dance in the form of Jinju Geommu but has also retained its
status as a primarily female dance. Geommu was also modified to use a replica
sword while performing to prevent accidental injuries to the performer and
audience
Costume and sword[edit]
Swords
Dancers of Geommu wear Hanbok, Kwaeja (overcoat),
Jeon-Dae (belt), and Jeon-Rip (military style cap). Hanbok is the traditional
Korean dress that consists of Chima (a skirt) and Jeogori (a jacket). These
elements combine to form a stylized version of the Joseon Dynasty military
uniform. The costume traditionally has the colors of blue, red, yellow, green
and black but many regional variations exist. The Jinju region has a blue Chima and a jade green Jeogori. Gwangju in the Jeolla province has a red Chima and a light green Jeogori.
The knife or Kal (칼) is the replica sword used in Geom-mu, also referred to
as a short sword, dan geom or dan do (단검/단도).
Between the blade and the handle of a Kal are three rings. These three rings
have varying sizes and make sounds when performers dance the Geom-mu.
Performing Geommu
Geommu is a group dancing activity
performed by 6 to 8 performers. It has two unique characters which are Chum-sawi,
a dance motion, and 'Changdan, rhythmic cycle or ‘long and short’. There are three typical motions, Ipchum-sawi,
Anjeon-sawi, and Yeonpungdae. In Ipchum-sawi the dancers form two rows and
stand face to face. Anjeon-sawi is to dance kneeling down while maintaining the
two rows of Ipchum-sawi. The last motion, Yeonpungdae, the dancers form a
circle and rotate in pattern.
Variations
Geommu is a compound of the Korean
words "Geom", meaning sword, and "mu", meaning dance. This
name applies to the base martial form of the dance. The dance is also known by
the term Hwangchangmu in reference to its origin story. The royal court version
of the dance is called Jinju Geommu.
Geommu and Changdan rhythmic patterns
In Geommu, special rhythmic cycles
called Changdan appear. Changdan is usually made by Janggu, a double-headed
hourglass drum and Buk, a barrel drum.
In Korea there are many variations of Changdan with each name designating a
certain type of meter, tempo, and beat. Basic nature of Korean rhythmic
patterns may be described as having these four main characteristics (Garland
encyclopedia of world: East Asia- China, Japan, Korea, p. 901).
·
A
length of time, short enough to be held easily in memory and quickly
recognized.
·
A
sense of speed (not tempo, which is related to beat)
·
A
typical meter, which fills the length of time
·
Characteristic
events the rhythmic pattern
Types of traditional Korean music in Geommu
The traditional Korean music of
Geommu is Samhyeon-Nyukgak. Originally, Samhyeon designated three chordophones,
Geomungo, Gayageum, and Hyangbipa and Nyukgak designated Buk, Janggu, Haegeum, and Piri at the Unified Shilla period from 654 to 780. The significance of Samhyeon had
disappeared and remained the import of Nyukgak. Nowadays Samhyeonnyukgak
indicates the wind instrumental music. It is used to accompany marching and
dancing with 6 instruments, Haegeum, Janggu, Buk, Daegeum, and two Piri.
Haegeum is a string instrument, resembling a violin. [Jangu] and [buk] are drums. Janggu is made from a hollow wooden
body and two leather skins. The two sides produce sounds of different pitch and
tone. Puk is a barrel-shaped with a round wooden body covered on both ends with
animal skin. It is played with both an open hand and a wooden stick in the
other hand. Daegeum and Piri are aerophones. Daegeum is a large bamboo transverse
flute and Piri is a double reed instrument made of bamboo. Its large reed
and cylindrical bore gives it a sound mellower than that of many other types of
oboe.
Preservation
Many parts of Geommu have been lost
over time. South Korea established a law in 1962 named the Cultural Properties
Protection Act in order to protect Geommu and other intangible cultural
properties. Geommu was named as the 12th intangible cultural property by law in
1967. Geommu is actively preserved and practiced primarily in the Jinju, Gyeongsangnamdo, South Korea.
But we can see
this culture many variant in world there is 10 country the dance sword culture
see and explore in social media wiki google Microsoft and more
England my second
home after Korea have too dance sword and this is following example 10 dance in
world
10
Tari Pedang di Dunia yang Menarik untuk Diketahui
Ditulis
oleh Siti Hasanah - Diperbaharui 24 Juni 2021
Tari pedang merupakan tarian rakyat yang menggunakan pedang
sebagai propertinya. Tarian ini menampilkan tema-tema seperti pertempuran
manusia, pengorbanan hewan untuk kesuburan, dan pertahanan terhadap roh jahat.
Secara garis besar, tari pedang dibedakan menjadi beberapa jenis berdasarkan
polanya.
Banyak negara di dunia yang mempunyai tari pedang sebagai
keseniannya. Tari yang menampilkan kegagahan ini mulanya sering ditampilkan
pada ritual-ritual tertentu. Apa saja sih macam-macam tari pedang yang ada di dunia?
Yuk kita simak uraian berikut ini!
1. Kenbu
– Jepang
Kenbu secara harfiah diterjemahkan sebagai tari pedang. Ini
adalah sebuah tari tradisional Jepang yang menggunakan katana dan kipas. Kenbu
biasanya diiringi pembacaan puisi dan instrument tradisional
Jepang.
Pada masa kekaisaran Jepang dulu, para samurai menampilkan kenbu untuk melatih konsentrasi mental mereka dan melatih
kekuatan sebelum berangkat berperang. Penari kenbu menggunakan kostum khusus yang disebut hakama,
shiro tasuki dan shiro hachimaki.
Tarian ini mulanya muncul pada zaman Meiji. Raifu Hibino
mengajarkan gaya tarian konvensional dengan beberapa gerakan permainan pedang.
Penari kenbu dibagi menjadi beberapa bagian. Ada penari yang bertugas
untuk memperagakan gerakan pedang, ada pula penari yang bertugas untuk
menyanyikan syair atau puisi. Jumlahnya bermacam-macam. Bisa terdiri dari satu
penari atau satu penyanyi. Terkadang bisa dengan dua penari.
2. Geommu
– Korea
Spanyol adalah rumah bagi tari pedang. Beberapa wilayah di negara
ini mempunyai tradisi tari pedang yang terkenal di dunia. Basque merupakan
salah satunya. Penari basque terdiri dari beberapa orang dan masing-masing
memegang pedang di tangannya.
Gerakan tarian ini mencakup gerakan akrobatik yang luar
biasa yang dilakukan oleh para penari. Para penari memperagakann gerakan
pertempuran dengan menggunakan pedang pendek yang terbuat dari kayu.
Mereka mengenakan kostum khusus lengkap dengan baret merah
khas yang disebut txapelas.
Tari pedang Basque dan tari pedang lainnya yang ada di beberapa bagian
semenajung Iberia telah ada sejak abad pertengahan.
Basque masih dilakukan hingga
sekarang. Kelompok penari-penari ini adalah peserta lengkap pada festival besar
tari pedang internasional yang diadakan di Scarborough dan Whitby sejak tahun
1996 sampai 2004.
4. Gillie
Callum - Skotlandia