[Buzz Korea] Korean Culture Performance at Korea-Indonesia Week 2012

At Korea Indonesia Week 2012 on Thursday 5th Oct, there was Korean Culture Performance at Balai Kartini, Jakarta. At this event, 4 different groups presented the traditional korean percussion and dance performances. They were Noreum Machi, Ha Yong-bu, EDx2 Dance Company and Last For One.

Now, let's take a look at their performances!

The first performance was Noreum Machi - The Traditional Korean Percussion group.

Traditional Korean percussion group Noreum Machi is a highly original musical ensemble. Since its foundation in 1993 Noreum Machi has been trying to re-discover its traditional music that suits out time by communicating other kinds of music through the basic traditional Korean music without loosing its structure. The group takes its name from the term used by Korean minstrels to indicate a combination of skill and timing attained only by the best players. In competition "noreum Machi" would refer to the players so skilled that no one would dare follow. Noreum Machi has recently received a great deal of attention in Korea and around the world.  At the same time is determined to avoid being bound by the past and to communicate with audiences in here and now. Critics and audiences have called Noreum Machi a fascinating and future-oriented ensemble because of the way the artists connect with the audiences, the obvious pleasure they take in.

The Second performance was Ha Young -bu - The Drum Dance

Ha Yong bu (Center)

*I'm sorry for the poor image quality hohoho*

He danced a free dance with a korean traditional drum.

"Boemboo" in Beomboo Dance means "a common man". Interstingly enough,  this repertoire takes the literal meaning to have dancers performed without any elaborate props or instruments. Beoumboo Dance has been varied into several different types depending on the originilaty and characteristics of an individual dancer. Ha Yong-bu's Beomboo Dance involves a drum which quite shows its powerful spirit as the sound of the drum is getting infused inside the dancer's body and then gradually being laid out again on the stage. The slow movement in the first part of the dance picks more and more speed, later becoming rapid and energetic.

The Third performance was EDx2 Dance Company - The Contemporary Dance

last image by EDx2 Dance Company

I like their performance! They danced together with the music and the music was really perfect timing.

Choreographer Lee In-soo from the LDP Dance Company, established EDx2 Dance Company in 2010. EDx2 aims to discover outstanding original repertoire alive with artistic sensitivity and descriptive movements; and to meet its aim, it is open to other artictic genres such as hip-hop, contemporary dance, drama and mime, acrobatics, etc. EDx2 enthuastically communicates with the sensitivity of the contemporary audience and introduce a diverse spectrum of modern dance with both artistry and popular appeal.

and the last performace was Last For One - The Street Dance

Last for one internationally renowned dance performance team based in Soul, Korea.

Performing primilary in the medium of what's broadly known as "street dance" (which encompasses different styles such as b-boying, popping and locking), they are one of the most respected ensembles of their kind in the world. Since 2009, Last For One has been touring the world with the B-boying gala show "One Dream" and with "Soul Beat" that combines percussion music with B-boying. To date, the performances have been staged in over 30 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.

At the end of the show the four groups collaborated. This collaborations showed a mix of modern and traditional art that really good.

Thank you so much KCCI for the nice event! And also to all the artists who have given a very good performances. We are very glad if you come to Indonesia again!