The 검무 is a famous, traditional Korean sword dance. The dance involves a prototype of a small sword with rings attached to the sword. When the sword moves about, the rings make a sound in conjunction with the rhythm of the dance. The 검무 gets its name from a boy named 검무 who lived in the 신라 kingdom. He performed the sword dance and assassinated the 백제 king, but was killed by officers.

풍악 is a dance that has origins in the farming community. Originally the dances were performed after the harvest season to celebrate all the labor that went into the harvest. The dancers are often male, which is not typical of traditional Korean dances. The dancers also wear a type of hat with a long ribbon attached to the hat. The ribbons twirl with the movements of the head.

무고 is a general term for a traditional Korean drum dance. The origins of the dance come from an exiled government official who was known to play a drum while he danced. The original drum dance involved four main dancers called 원무 who were responsible for striking the drum, and four other secondary dancers called 협무. The 협무 formed an outer circle around the main dancers while holding a flower drum stick.

탈춤 is a Korean masked dance. The dancer wears a mask that portrays an animal, a person, or a goblin. The mask was crucial to the dancer. The mask protected the dancer’s identity, especially when the dancer performed in a play criticizing the nobility. The traditional stage of the masked dance is often nothing but a floor mat. The audience can participate and become a part of the dance itself.