This study explores the primary issues in international performing arts exchange in the post-COVID-19 era. In our in-depth interviews with dance artists, each with over eight years of experience in international exchange before and after the pandemic, we witnessed the challenges and opportunities posed by the current pandemic situation. We used phenomenological methods to analyze the interview data. Our analysis revealed four problems: (1) the gap between live performance and recorded online performance; (2) the lack of equitable collaboration between artists and arts administrators; (3) the lack of diverse approaches and forms of support; and (4) the increase in barriers to international performing arts exchange. Our findings suggest countermeasures, such as: (1) balanced support both for live performance and online performance; (2) more flexible communication between artists and administrators; (3) adoption of more diverse and creative modes of international exchange; and (4) provision of training and education to promote artists’ access to and mobility in international artistic exchange.

“Die Braut von Korea” (The Bride of Korea), a ballet composed by Josef Bayer and written by Heinrich Regel, premiered in the K. k. Hof-Operntheater (Imperial Royal Court Theatre) in Vienna, Austria on May 22, 1897. The ballet consists of four acts and nine scenes depicting a fictional love story between the Prince of Korea and his bride Daisha, against the backdrop of the Sino-Japanese War (1894 95). This ballet was performed 38 times in Vienna and 14 times in the Hamburgische Staatsoper (Hamburg State Opera) in 1899, but it disappeared suddenly from the ballet performance schedule in Vienna after 1901.

This study aims to analyze “Die Braut von Korea” based on recently published sheet music as well as articles of newspapers and magazines of the time, and explore why it was abruptly removed from the repertoire of the Imperial Royal Court Theatre in Vienna. First, we review the context in which the piece was produced as well as its popularity and status through the examination of historical records regarding the piece. Then, we discuss its composition and characteristics, and finally, explore the reasons for its sudden disappearance from the ballet repertoire in 1901.

The purpose of this study is to examine the historical background and culture of the four ethnic groups, namely, Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan, and Korean-Chinese, and to derive cultural characteristics of their folk dances by examining how their ethnic culture has been embodied in the dances. In China, a multiethnic, multicultural country with 56 ethnic groups, dances performed in each ethnic group is part of life formed based on the cultural and geographical background of the group, and the contents, form, rhythm, and style of the dances were all formed and inherited in various ways due to differences in lifestyle and religious culture. Among those ethnic groups, Mongolian, Uyghur, Tibetan, and Korean-Chinese are the most localized ethnic minorities distributed around China's borders, and their folk dances have spread nationwide faster than those of any other ethnic groups. In order to promote the preservation and development of civil folk dances, it is necessary to examine the folk dances that are currently being preserved and developed and understand their cultural characteristics. By examining these characteristics, this study seeks to contribute to accurate perception of civil folk dances and to their preservation and development.

Through newspaper articles from the 1920s and 30s, this research focuses on the labor and wages of Gisaeng, a group of performers as a modern professional dancer and examines the cases of disputes and struggles facing changes in wage structure and tax system. The wage structure, income change and tax system of Gisaeng were defined, and the conflicts between Gisaeng and restaurants and between Gisaeng and call-offices were examined by region. The main reason of the wage disputes came from the disagreement between Gisaeng and restaurants regarding increase the rate of commission. Wage disputes between Gisaeng and call-offices were because of the unpaid wages by the call-offices. Gisaeng was a subgroup placed in the pyramid structure of labor organization - labor space - labor manager. Their income was distributed through three steps of deduction which are commission paid for restaurants and Gisaeng union as well as tax. However, facing unreasonable commission increase and overdue wages, they allied themselves through demonstrations and strikes to win their own rights and interests. This article broadens the base of research on modern professionals and makes a starting point of modern historical documentation and discussion on the rights, fair treatment, and working conditions of professional dancers.

The purpose of this research is to confirm the value of the New Folk Song Dance in the history of modern Korean dance. Based on literature review and video analysis, this research investigates the characteristics of the New Folk Song Dance by analyzing the dance movements of ‘Cheonan Samgeoli’, ‘Nillilia’, and ‘Cheonyo Chonggak’ in cultural films reproduced under the direction of the Society for Dance Documentation and History. Based on the dance analysis theory of Janet Adshead, the characteristics and values of New Folk Song Dance were explored by analyzing the components of dance (movement, dancer, visual and auditory environment) and the nature of dance (genre and style). The result of this research shows that the New Folk Song Dance has the characteristics of cultural expressions of modern dance through which we can enjoy occidental music as well as traditional one. The dance is composed of simple and repetitive movements as well as a variety of formation, which makes it very easy for the public to learn. This allows us to confirm the value of the New Folk Song Dance as another type of modern dance heritage, ultimately leading us to redefine the perspective of modern dance culture.

This study aims at reevaluating the artistic realism of Choi Seung-hee’s works not only in her full-length dramatic dances after her defection to North Korea but also in her early modern dances with the theme of social participation. The kind of realism that she had pioneered in dance field in 1930 continued into her proletarian dance but discontinued between 1933-1945 due to severe criticism from home and abroad. This study ascribes the undervaluation of her activities in this period to the male mainstream perspective of the society and the decline of proletarian literature. f After her defection to North Korea, Choi’s proletarian dance developed into full-length dramatic dance, which can be referred to as the stage of her completion of socialist realism. The full-length dramatic dance has great meaning in the Korean dance history in that: first, it elevated “dance as art” to a higher level; second, it held a feminist perspective; and third, it achieved a high degree of completion in terms of choreography. Henceforth, Choi Seung-hee’s activities as a pioneering realist dancer in Korea deserves reevaluation in the Korean dance history.

This paper investigated the theme ‘creation’ with the focus on the Korean traditional dances. At first, the problems in the creation of existing Korean dances were analyzed. Through the analysis, the creative factors lacking in individual characteristics were presented and the introduction of the western-oriented concept of creation was critically examined. On the basis of the awareness on the difference of artistic concept between eastern and western world, the concept of creation was discussed in the transmission history of dances. Next, the frame of reference for the creation of the traditional dance was presented. It includes the formation of lines and surfaces through principle of circulation, the formation of dance styles based on the traditional breath method, the approach to interpret rhythms and the application of steps. In conclusion, the events inducing the creation of traditional dances were identified and presented in the ancient literature.

This research is about the performances of Korean immigrant art troupe, from Russia’s Vladivostok maritime province (Yonhaeju : Prismorsky Krai), that visited Korea in the early 1920s. Initially the performances aimed to raise funds to build churches and help Koreans in Russia suffering from economic difficulties due to prolonged droughts and the civil war in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. However, the performances gained nationwide popularity, introducing Western folk music and dancing to Korea, which became the driving force in spreading a dance craze throughout the country. These performances significantly influenced the history of Korean modern dance, best exemplified by Cho Taek-Won who was first introduced to modern dance by the troupe’s performances and who became one of three new dance (Shinmuyong) pioneers. It is rare in the field of Diaspora Studies that cultural influences come from the outside the mother country, as in the case of the Korean-Russian art troupe. This research, from the perspective of the Diaspora (in the socio-cultural context of the troupe as they were caught between Russia’s civil war, in the period after the 1917 Revolution through 1922, and Korea under occupation by imperial Japan) shows the characteristics and meaning of the performances on the history of Korean modern dance, through analysis of performance activities and structures, member composition, the role of major leaders, and the troupe’s repertory of performances. At the same time, this study provides a foundation to understand the Korean Diaspora in Russia Like Lee Kang, Han Yong-Hun and Kwak Byuing-Gyu, the leaders of the Korean art troupe in Russia were leaders of the religious community who had participated in the Korean Independence Movement in the maritime province of Russia. Most of them were non-professionals and each group had a small number of members. Their art form followed “Estrada,” a typical people’s performing art which were popular folk dance touring performances in Russia at the time. In the history of modern dance in Korea, the significance of the performances of the Korean immigrant art troupe from Russia is as follows. First, as the initial overseas Korean performing arts group, they inspired Koreans to pay attention to the problems of overseas Koreans through the promotion of their visit to Korea; they helped build a national identity across borders. Secondly, this art troupe, as part of the Korean Diaspora, became a cultural bridge between people in Korea and Koreans in Russia. Lastly, the art troupe supported the Korean Independence Movement. However, the performances were forced to stop, for political reasons, by the birth of the Soviet Union on December 30, 1922. Research methods include literature and library research, field surveys, including existing literature in the National Russian Library of East Asian Literature, materials made from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs kept in the National Institute of Korean History, Dong-A Ilbo, Mae-il Shinnbo, and Sunbong, the Korean newspaper published in the maritime province of Russia.