Baltal (art form)
Baltal ("foot mask") Korean: 발탈 is a form of puppet theatre from Korea. It is one of Korea's Important Intangible Cultural Properties.[1]
Baltal is unique in that the puppets used are manipulated with the feet, rather than the hands. The puppeteer lies on his back in a small curtained enclosure, with the puppet's head mounted on his feet. The puppet's arms are manipulated either by strings or by bamboo poles. The performance generally revolves around witticisms and clever dialogue, as well as songs, and the puppet interacts with the narrator and other performers. Musical accompaniment is provided by traditional instruments such as the piri, haegeum and janggu.[2][3][4]
References
- ^ Korea (South). Munhwajae Kwalliguk (2001). Korean Intangible Cultural Properties: . Folk dramas, games, and rites. Hollym International Corporation. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-56591-164-2. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ Heo, Young-Il. "Baltal: Masked Puppet Show by Feet". Asia-Pacific Database on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ "South Korea: Culture". Windows on Asia. Michegan State University - Asian Studies Center. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
- ^ Samuel L. Leiter (2007). Encyclopedia of Asian Theatre: O-Z. Greenwood Press. p. 585. ISBN 978-0-313-33531-0. Retrieved 27 March 2013.