This study aimed to examine how Korean dance majors understand basic dance, one of the main components of Korean dance education and to comprehensively grasp the teaching content and method of various basic dances. To this end, the following research ...
This study aimed to examine how Korean dance majors understand basic dance, one of the main components of Korean dance education and to comprehensively grasp the teaching content and method of various basic dances. To this end, the following research questions were set: First, how is Korean basic dance understood? Second, what is taught in Korean basic dance? Third, how is Korean basic dance taught?
Qualitative study methods were conducted for 12 months in total from January 2023 to December 2023 through four stages: theoretical exploration, research design, research process, and results summary. 12 instructors and 7 learners were selected as participants based on pre-set criteria per purposeful sampling. Data were collected from in-depth interviews, stimulated recall interviews, non-participatory observations, and field documents and analyzed by description, analysis, and interpretation. To ensure its authenticity, the study undertook triangulation, member check, and peer debriefing processes, observing research ethics.
The results derived through the above process were as follows. First, the majors' understanding of Korean basic dance was analyzed by focusing on characteristics, roles, and values. The characteristics of Korean basic dance were analyzed into ①essential elements, ②completed works, and ③various schools, with the educational advantages and difficulties appearing divided accordingly. The roles of Korean basic dance were analyzed as ①past introduction, ②present training, and ③future growth, each period serving as an important stepping-stone for Korean dance majors to advance to the next level. Next, the values of Korean basic dance were analyzed as ①foundation of artistic dance, ②reflection of the times, and ③implications for daily life, and each had significant value at artistic, cultural, and personal levels.
Second, Korean basic dance teaching content was analyzed into skill, knowledge, and spirit content according to ‘the three dimensions of physical activity’, offering diverse and rich perspectives. Skill content means to demonstrate physical skills and was derived as ①posture and physical strength, ②dance movement and activity, and ③breathing and gaze. Knowledge content refers to cognitive and propositional knowledge involved in exercising skills and was derived as ①history and terminology, ②rhythm and music, and ③application ability and creativity. Spirit content is the nature and value of physical activity and was derived as ①honesty and commitment, ②philosophy and virtue, and ③emotion and aesthetics.
Third, Korean basic dance teaching method was analyzed into mechanical technique, corporeal technique, psychological personique, and spiritual personique according to its 'two-method layered' model, offering a multidimensional and multi-layered understanding. First, the mechanical technique was explicit, repetitive, and directive and ①demonstrating, ②physical training, ③using textbooks, ④recognizing music, and ⑤maintaining patterns were drawn. Next, the corporeal technique was interpretive and explicit and ①interpretive explanation, ②adding intonation, ③sensing the body, ④mimicking learning, ⑤learning variations, and ⑥connecting with artworks were drawn. The psychological personique was autonomous, reflective, and relational and ①assigning a purpose, ②presenting tasks, ③using video, ④motivating, and ⑤forming relationships were drawn. Spiritual personique was implicit, subjective, and personal and ①involving humor, ②setting examples, ③grooming appearance, ④sharing philosophy, and ⑤expressing passion were drawn.
The comprehensive discussion and interpretation of the above results were as follows. First, based on the understanding of Korean basic dance by majoring students, the purpose and importance of teaching basic dance were discussed. Basic dance is a constant companion for Korean dance majors, with its purpose lying in consistent training rather than achieving perfection. However, considering the understanding of the negative aspects revealed in the research results, the study also suggests the need for a profound analysis to address the educational challenges of basic dance. Second, this study discussed the implications of teaching content containing skill, knowledge, and spirit dimensions in teaching Korean basic dance. The teaching content of basic dance was examined at a multi-layered level to teach 'whole' basic dance, ultimately leading to introducing a practice of Korean dance. In addition, emphasis on the spirit dimension indicated its crucial significance in dance education where skill-oriented education is prevalent. Third, this study discussed the educational implications of the multidimensional and multi-layered teaching method of Korean basic dance. To effectively convey the multi-layered teaching content of basic dance, a teaching method suitable to each content's characteristics is required, especially a personique-level method to convey the spiritual dimension. Furthermore, the study suggested that an intricate understanding of teaching methods had a positive impact on achieving the objectives of basic dance education and that the purpose, content, and method of teaching basic dance interact with each other.
Suggestions for field practice are as follows. First, to teach 'whole' Korean basic dance in educational settings, instructors' and learners' perceptions toward the purpose and importance of basic dance must change. Second, Korean dance educational institutions should avoid focusing on work for competitions and college entrance exams, rather establishing a systematic curriculum for the thorough acquisition of basic skills. Third, dance-related associations and organizations should hold regular training sessions on Korean basic dance to provide a place for continuous learning and training.
Suggestions for follow-up research are as follows. First, detailed research is necessary considering the characteristics of basic dance including traditional dance, new dance, and creative dance. Second, in-depth research on the personique-level teaching methods is needed to deliver the three-dimensional teaching content of Korean basic dance. Third, research is needed to explore the effectiveness of developing and applying an educational program using the 'two-method layered' teaching method of Korean basic dance.