Dance Festival Honors Traditional and Contemporary Works at Naroo Art Center
Creatrip Team
a month ago
The 2026 Bohun Dance Festival ran from June 17–28 at the Naroo Art Center in Seoul, showcasing young artists, traditional dance, citizen-participation programs, an academic symposium, competitions, and closing performances. The grand prize in the competition went to Seon Hyo-jeong of the Chumeum Dance Company for 'Sumbi', praised for its emotional depth and high production values. The Excellence Award went to Kim Na-young Dance Company for 'A Moment Stayed and Became a Mark', and Chumseon Cap received the Choreography Award for 'Drawing the Outline'. Male and female acting awards went to Son Dong-geun (HYO.N Company) and Kim Ha-kyung (Team Guard). Seon Hyo-jeong also won a special citizen-judges' prize, earning two honors. Pre-festival events featured emerging traditional dancers ('Young Artists Exhibition'), mid-career performers presented traditional pieces in 'Museok (舞色) - Colors of Dance' (Museok: a portmanteau of dance and color), and the citizen program 'Mujak (舞作) - Creating Dance' (Mujak: literally “dance work”) let citizens create and perform their own dances. The academic symposium discussed the role of dance in promoting veterans’ culture, while the opening and closing shows blended traditional dances—such as salpuri, seungmu, taepyeongmu, sogo dance—and pansori (a traditional Korean musical storytelling) to conclude the festival.
