Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre’s new work, Gut: Whispering Steps, turns Korean shamanic ritual into a contemporary meditation on suffering, healing and self-liberation. Artistic director Yun Hea-joung says the piece argues that people must pursue blessings through their own body and will, not wait for rescue. The production also seeks to reclaim gut from colonial-era stigma. It runs from Thursday to Sunday at the Sejong Center’s Grand Theater.
Dancers from the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre perform at a press preview of the company’s new work, “Gut: Whispering Steps,” at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre’s new work, “Gut: Whispering Steps,” turned little-known shamanic rituals in Korea into a contemporary meditation on suffering, pain and the difficult work of saving oneself.
Known as "gut," shamanic ritual was a communication tool between the living and the deceased. A shaman served as a helper in the communication. Usually, descendants sought health, luck and suffering-free life from their ancestors.
Gut from Seoul and neighboring regions, in particular, offers a unique session called "mugamseogi," during which a client gets dressed like a shaman and performs a spontaneous dance.
