DANO Korea Summer Festival
Trafalgar Square
Sunday 8 June 2008
1pm to 7pm
FREE EVENT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Trafalgar Square will be transformed into a mini Korea for the annual DANO celebrations on Sunday 8 June. The second DANO Korea Summer Festival provides a fascinating insight into the culture and customs of Korea featuring performances by Korean artists, crafts and music workshops, Korean food and a parade.
The afternoon will culminate in a two hour musical extravaganza with the Yoon Band from Korea, Tomi Kita from the USA and the Guy Barker Quintet from the UK. Tomi Kita will be performing the North Korean pop song Kim Chi for the first time in Europe,while the leading UK jazz composer and trumpeter Guy Barker has written arrangements of traditional Korean music for this special event called The Madang Project (‘Madang’ in Korean means ‘Square’). The Madang Project will be performed in Korea later this year with Korean musicians. The Yoon Band needs no introduction… but for those who need to know more, Saharial introduces their talents in a separate article.
A parade led by traditional Korean performing artists Taroo and Noridan will open the event. Noridan is an unusual percussion group that make instruments out of recycled rubbish and was set up by the City of Seoul to involve disenfranchised young people in arts and culture.
During the afternoon there will be an opportunity for children and the young at heart to make traditional fans called danosun – a key feature of DANO celebrations – as well as participate in music workshops. Authentic Korean food will be served throughout the day.
Ms Justina Jang, President of KCPA, said, “This year, the DANO Korea Summer Festival focuses on environmental issues and artistic collaboration between our two countries. The festival in Trafalgar Square is a chance for everyone to celebrate together and experience what Korean culture has to offer, with a wonderful afternoon of performing arts, crafts, foods and so much more.”
DANO
DANO is the annual summer festival in Korea when Yang energy is thought to be at its highest. In Korea, people celebrating DANO present specially decorated fans called DANOSUN to their friends and family to prepare them for the coming long and humid summer. Men take part in folk games such as Ssireum (Korean wrestling), women are permitted to have a go on traditional swings and people prepare special iris treatments for their hair.
SCHEDULE
1pm – 7pm – Korean food stalls. Check out a variety of traditional food including kimchi, bibimbap and bulgogi. Korean food is well known as being both nutritious and low in calories.
1pm – 6pm – Workshops. Make a Korean fan or try traditional paper folding within the craft workshops. Noridan will also show you how to use your body and rubbish as instruments
1pm – 4pm – A full programme of traditional and contemporary Korean music and dance led by musical troupe Taroo, and a performance by ecological performance group Noridan and Lee Chul Jin
4pm – 6pm – A range of contemporary music including jazz from the Guy Barker Quintet and rock from the Yoon Band and Tomi Kita
Links
- Korean Cultural Promotion Agency website, the organisers of this splendid event, together with Harmony in Arts Management.
- Final programme details
Nice to know you are bringing some Korean Culture to the UK,we hear a lot about other Countries,and what they do,and I hope a lot of people hear about Korea through your Programme.London is always crowded on Weekends,so I am wishing it will attract a lot,especialy,the Korean Drums,and if the Korean Artists are in Korean Dress,that will make it that much more special.
When the Korean Culture Centre opened,I was there with Korean War Veterans,and many people who spoke to,had no Idea of anything about Korea,so Sunday should be a success,I shall try my Hardest to be there,and may I wish everyone who is involved on the day,the Very Best of Luck,for all of the hard Work,and time taken.
Yours Sincerely
Mick Geoghegan
AS a Korean Veteran and having made a revisit in 2006 I am delighted to see so much happening to keep the contact, it is just a pity it is all in London.