SWORD DANCE
Sword Dance is the Haidong Gumdo event where we use our creativity to showcase our martial art skills.
We start with our Haidong Gumdo technique, and then add music and costumes in order to tell a story to inspire our audiences.
THE PROBLEM IS….
Many people don’t know how to get started creating a sword dance. It is not taught as part of our regular curriculum, and most masters have not gotten additional training in it.
HOW I LEARNED SWORD DANCE
I ran into the problem of not having anyone to train me in sword dance when I first started Haidong Gumdo. I saw a video of a sword dancer at a competition, and I knew I had to learn how to do that, too. I asked around, but nobody could teach me.
Then I heard that the next competition in South Korea included a sword dance seminar. Even though I was still a color belt at the time, I signed up to go. I put together a sword dance on my own based on the rules, determined to learn what I could through the process.
At the tournament, I watched all the other international sword dancers and took notes. I participated in the sword dance seminar and learned the basics of the art.
Since returning I have been performing, testing ideas out on the stage, and sharing what I’ve learned with students so that they can more easily learn the art of sword dance. This work landed me on the Demonstration Team for the 2016 and 2018 PanAm Mulipias in Las Vegas.
And now I’ve created a FREE GUIDE to help you create your first, or next, sword dance.
The 8 Elements of Sword Dance - Planning Workbook
In “The 8 Elements of Sword Dance” you’ll be guided through every aspect of sword dance creation.
You will know where to start, what to consider for a successful piece, and how to make it authentically yours.
Good skill to you on your sword dance journey. Haidong!
~Master Susan Shirk