Last Saturday (September 23, 2023), a 'fan dance' and 'sogo dance' show, performed by Belgians, took place at the Korean Cultural Center in Belgium. This presentation served as an opportunity for participants of a traditional dance workshop, organized by the Korean Cultural Center in Belgium (directed by Kim Dongeun) over three weeks from September 8, to showcase the traditional Korean dances they had learned to an audience that included acquaintances and family.

The fan dance workshop, held annually since 2021 in cooperation with the National Gugak Center, gained popularity after being featured in K-dramas, leading to an increase in participants this year. Additionally, the “Sogo Dance” class was opened to cater to local interest in traditional Korean culture.

Over the past three weeks, participants learned the basic elements of Korean dance such as “stepping” and “breathing”. They then experimented with composing fan dance performances such as “Waving”, “Creating a Circle”, and “Scattering”, which were composed by several people together. In the “Sogo Dance”, they also learned basic movements such as “balim (hands, gestures)” and “basic rhythm”.

Workshop participant Diana said: “I participate in the fan dance workshop every year. I also learned the Sogo dance, which was introduced this year, and felt it had a different dynamic appeal compared to the fan dance.” Another participant, Nina, said: “Working together to create a beautiful flower while wearing a hanbok and using fans gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

The audience generously applauded the participants who demonstrated traditional Korean dance moves while wearing hanbok and holding fans and small drums in their hands. Instructor Seo Min-seong demonstrated “Fan Sanjo” and presented a high-quality fan dance performance.

André, who watched the presentation, said: “I was fascinated by the movements that were both silent and dynamic. I want to participate next time.”

Instructor Seo Min-seong, who led this year’s workshop, said: “I realize that local interest in our traditional dance has increased. I was impressed by the serious attitude and enthusiasm of the participants over the three weeks.”

The Korean Cultural Center in Belgium organizes various traditional culture workshops throughout the year, including janggu, pansori, and dance.