How we met Kaet Dol

It's about time I put up some pictures. Here are some of the traditional mask dance troupe -Kaet Dol- that Kristofer and I have been following around for some time. So here's how it began...

Kristofer, Mrs. Kim, and Mrs. Yang and I are at lunch at one of Mokpo's amazing little restaurants. Once the sweet, rice drink was all sipped down, we say our good-byes to the sweet old couple and the old man's jazz. Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Yang say to us, "Come. We still have an hour until class."

We follow.

Next we are driving up Yudal Mountain's smooth, not so steep ridge, and we pull up to the Mokpo Cultural House. Next Mrs. Kim and Mrs. Yang show what the ajuma-gangpae (old lady-gangsta) style. All smiles and old-school Korean-southern slang, they say their hellos and introduce us as the interested foreigners. Next thing you know, we are coming that night to learn changgu --one of the Korean drums.

Next, next thing, we have crashed Kaet Dol's three-day workshop with an elder dancer, who is also a professor at Busan's Art College. Here are pics from the workshop weekend:

They rehearsed this for at least two hours. They called it the "Sex dance" because it begins with them on the ground gyrating slowly. More curious than sexy.

The Professor.

More of Kaet Dol

The troupe's producer.

Troupe members.

The Professor again.

Lots of crouching...

Troupe #2

They joke and say it looks like they are taking a shit here. I don't dare joke because I got to sit out and watch them sweat this for hours...

The producer explaining to me Korean traditional mask dance is comedy and satire, originating hundreds of years ago from farmers and laborers who would create satiric comedies about monks, aristocrats, and daily life.

At another practice. Each of the troupe members teaches other groups. Kristofer went along on this day.

Downtown near my school. They were promoting a memorial celebration for Yi Nan Young, an old famous singer from Mokpo, who sang "Tears of Mokpo."

Downtown #2

Downtown #3