Bongsan Talchum Class

August 30th, 2010
Karjam and I ran errands in the morning, things are really getting set. In the evening I rushed to the 무형문화전수회관 Intangible Culture Training Center, arriving late for the start of the 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum class for the community members. There were no students there that I knew except for the office manager, who is finally starting to learn the art. He seemed really exhausted though. It was tough to try to remember everything on the fly, and of course that only worked out so well for me, but it was fun. The bad thing is that it trashed my knee. Freaking Bongsan Talchum is all leaping up and down, argh. The practice felt great, I had a limited chat with the instructor, 이수자 김은주 Isuja Kim Eunju, who has been my instructor since 2005. I’ll go early on Thursday and chat with them about upcoming shows and what not. So far not much to say about the other students, except there was a too easily distracted little boy there… I hope he calms down and focuses more in future lessons.

After class I hung out in the lobby with a photographer who is usually used by the center who was photographing a beautiful 갓 horsehair hat for the elite. It was the largest one I’d ever seen, both tall and the rim was super wide. The photographer and his assistant estimated it would be close to 10,000,000 won (loosely think 10,000 dollars). I was not allowed to touch it.