IEW_Alexandra_The passion of my life_first draft

The Traditional Korean Dances. This is what I can call my lifelong hobby.

I joined the traditional Korean dance class almost right after I found out Korean cultural center in my hometown, because I though it might not be something boring like history class, or put it in other words I didn't seriously think about that decision at that time.

To clarify better, traditional Korean dance isn't an easy thing to do, because a dancer should not only move smoothly and make a right face expression, but also should move and breath in the rhythm of music, and Korean traditional music is something like the set of sounds that hard to follow and count, so a dancer should learn music before dancing.

So it was my third dance class, and I understood that I prefer history class rather then dance class because it wasn't that easy as it seemed, thus I decided to give up on it. However, the dance teacher, that actually was very strict, stopped me and said that before I came she has never met a student that could improve so fast as I did. And she added that the dance class is the best way to learn Korean history, so she offered me to rethink my decision.

Her second argument was really convincing, as a consequence I changed my mind again.

After that I didn't notice how seven years had passed and I've become a solo dancer of our dance group. Besides our lessons, we have been often invited by local administrations from different cities in Russia to perform on different events and festivals where we represented Korean culture.

Actually when Russian society started recognize Korean culture through our dance performances, naturally I've become obsessed with traditional Korean dance, insofar as I felt that I can bring a small contribution and benefit to our society. My teacher saw a big progress in terms of dance abilities in our group, and she said that it's time to go to our historical motherland to learn and practice there in order to be more professional.

July 2009, it was my first time I came to Korea, specifically Seoul and Jindo island, where our group have been practicing for 1 month. At that time I could fully feel and understand what traditional Korean dance means. Was it in consequence of learning dances from native speakers or not, I can't express by words how I was possessed and fascinated with dancing. After that, I came to Korea every year for one month to get new experience in the national center for Korean Namdo performing arts that is located in Jindo island.

At some point in my life I've thought that I don't want to make dance my profession to earn money. I'm sure that if it would be so, I wouldn't be that passionate about it anymore. Thus traditional Korean dance is like an area where I don't have to compete with someone or to be judged, it's my lifelong hobby that gives me a power and an opportunity to logout from routine life for a while.

As a consequence I came up with questions: Then, what should I do in my life in order to survive? And what major should I study in my future?   

Indeed, learning traditional Korean dances was that cultural bridge through which I became more familiar with my historical motherland, therefore I though about to try to start my bachelor degree in Korea. 

As soon as I've graduated from my high school, I moved to Seoul by myself to prepare for applying to universities. And currently I'm a student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, majoring in business administration and English interpretation and translation.

I've been living in Seoul for almost four years, but I still go every year to Jindo island to get a new dance experience. Every time I spend few weeks learning new dances I truly believe that I grow not only in terms of my dance abilities, but also in terms of personal improvements and self-confidence, it is kind of my meditation method to calm down and deeply discover my life goals, unplugging myself for some time from a routine life.

Traditional Korean dances brought me where I am now, and I am really grateful and proud of being a part of it. This is what I can call the passion of my life.