Four Major Dances of the DPRK
Especially, the dances "Azaleas of the Motherland", "The Snow Is Falling", "Bumper Harvest of Apples" and "Winnow Dance" are widely known as the model works of art of dance and four dance masterpieces of the DPRK.
They are new and diverse in their themes and rich in national character. Their soft and lyric dance movements and elegant and graceful rhythms are in organic harmony with the melodies of the famous songs.
The dance "The Snow Is Falling" impressively shows the faith of the men of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army in victory of the revolution and their indomitable fighting spirit during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle in the first half of the last 20th century.
In particular, the clear and peculiar formation with the rhythmic movements of a woman soldier advancing through snowstorm and the dramatically strong movements of dancers representing the severe blizzards evokes fervent emotional inspiration. The famous song "The Snow Is Falling" run through with meditative emotion emphasizes the profound world of the dance depiction.
The dance "Azaleas of the Motherland" shows ardent patriotism and revolutionary optimism of the women soldiers of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army determined to live and fight as true soldiers of the great leader
What is conspicuous in the work is the tearjerking and impressive depiction of the female dancer who embraces a handful of earth with care, feeling the soil of the motherland with her whole body. The optimistic and lively dance movements are in harmony with the melodies of the song "Azaleas of the Motherland" and the revolutionary song "Song of Women's Emancipation".
The "Winnow Dance" represents the diligent working life of girls at villages preparing the relief rice to be sent to the guerrilla army during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and their beautiful mental world.
The "Winnow Dance" represents the diligent working life of girls at villages preparing the relief rice to be sent to the guerrilla army during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle and their beautiful mental world.
The work gave a clear national emotion by using the winnow, an implement unique to the women in the countryside of Korea. Quite peculiar are the dance movements of turning round the winnows and different depiction means of stage art.
The dance "Bumper Harvest of Apples" shows well the revolutionary enthusiasm of the girl farmers who reaped a bumper harvest of fruit as well as their optimistic working life.
Really impressive are the merry rhythmic movements such as those of picking up apples, pushing aside the branches of trees, putting apples into baskets and moving shoulders up and down.
The dance "Bumper Harvest of Apples" shows well the revolutionary enthusiasm of the girl farmers who reaped a bumper harvest of fruit as well as their optimistic working life.
Really impressive are the merry rhythmic movements such as those of picking up apples, pushing aside the branches of trees, putting apples into baskets and moving shoulders up and down.
The four major dances shine as a national treasure of Korean art, telling the history of dance art of the DPRK.