"Traditionally, a gut is performed by a shaman to ward off misfortune or provide comfort. It often feels like the shaman will solve everything. However, Mugam Seogi conveys that if you truly want to receive blessings, you must participate in the gut yourself. It’s about taking action to bring blessings rather than relying on someone else," said Yoon Hye-jung, head of the Seoul City Dance Company.
Mugam Seogi is a traditional folk performance where, at the peak of the gut, the person requesting the ritual wears the shaman's attire and dances spontaneously to the rhythm, releasing their emotions. This performance will be showcased by the Seoul City Dance Company at the Sejong Center's main theater.
During a press call for Mugam Seogi on September 10, Yoon Hye-jung described the performance as a process of resolving pain and sorrow from within rather than blaming others. She emphasized that it is about self-discovery.
Mugam Seogi signifies that the participant does not merely rely on a shaman to pray for blessings but actively dances to welcome them.
Yoon found a relevant message in this act for today’s society. He stated, "I thought that in this era, we might need a process of self-reflection. I want to consider that our ancestors' Mugam Seogi contained a mindset of 'I had problems within me' and 'I can resolve them myself.'"
The project originated from research on shamanic dance conducted while preparing for last year's Seoul City Dance Company production, 'Mimesis.' Yoon explained, "In traditional Seoul gut performances, when the shaman was deep into the ritual, a family member would take the shaman's attire and dance spontaneously like the shaman. Mugam Seogi is about surrendering to the music and dancing as your body leads you."
To capture this essence, the performance incorporates improvisation. Dancers, trained in precise choreography, were encouraged to express their own bodies and emotions. Additionally, costumes were designed to appear different even with the same movements. Yoon noted, "The angle and flow of the costumes change based on the dancer's fingertips, so while the movements may be the same, the way the costumes flow cannot be identical."
Efforts were made to modernize the performance to resonate with the audience. Yoon remarked, "Gut and shamans were elements of our ancestors' communal life. When something happened, people would gather to perform a gut and share food, turning it into a festive, everyday occurrence."
He added, "However, during the Japanese colonial period, the term 'superstition' was used to demean these practices. Through this opportunity, I want to discuss the folk elements that were embedded in our ancestors' lives in the context of today."
However, it is regrettable that the performance did not fully capture the joy and sense of liberation inherent in Mugam Seogi. The energy of a festival, where participants jump in and dance together, was not felt. Although the performance depicted a journey through anxiety, pain, awareness, and hope, it remained shrouded in darkness until the end, which was intended to convey a sense of liberation. The 70-minute performance featured dreamlike music and movements that felt on the verge of explosion but ultimately did not release the spontaneity and excitement of the gut. While it persistently examined pain, it did not reach the point of liberation.
The performance runs from September 10 to 13.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.