Seoul troupe reimagines Korean shamanic rituals as dance
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre presented “Gut: Whispering Steps,” a new dance work inspired by Korean shamanic rituals known as “gut.”
These rituals traditionally allowed communication between the living and the dead, with a shaman acting as an intermediary to help people seek health and good fortune from their ancestors. The troupe focused on a specific ritual from Seoul and surrounding areas called “mugamseogi,” in which a person dresses as a shaman and dances spontaneously.
Artistic director Yun Hea-joung used this practice, and the idea that blessings require personal effort, as the basis for the production. “Gut: Whispering Steps” explores themes of pain, memory, healing, and freedom through five dance variations, each connected to one of the five cardinal colors of Korean tradition, called “obangsaek.” The dance interprets gut not as a passive reception of blessings, but as an active process of self-rescue and transformation.
