민속무용을 예술적으로 승화시킨 한성준(韓成俊: 1874~1941)은 개화기 이래 일제강점기를 살아가면서 우리 무용사를 관통하는 과도기적인 역할을 한 인물로 평가받고 있는 신무용 계열의 무용가로서 전통무용의 선구적인 공로자였을 뿐만 아니라 사라져 가는 조선가무(朝鮮歌舞)를 보존시키고자 노력하였다. 한성준은 삶 자체의 깊은 통찰력을 통해 무용 세계를 접근하는 방법론을 채택하였다. 즉, 움직임을 눈으로 파악하고 체득하여 몸으로 인식하는 방법으로 그의 무용세계를 무한히 확장시켜 구체화한 것이다. 일상의 움직임 또한 그의 무용에 그대로 녹아들게 하는 그야말로 삶 자체가 무용을 위한 연구의 연장선에 있었던 것이다. 한성준은 1930-1980년까지 무용가들에게 창작의 원천으로 귀중한 자양분을 만들어 주었다. 1980년대 들어 그 형태가 서서히 완성되기 시작한 한국창작무용은 한성준의 무용이 갖고 있는 특성 중 하나인 무용의 내재적 형식미를 존중하는 흐름에 영향을 받아 무용의 표현성과 형식성의 조화와 긴장을 꾀하는 흐름을 형성했다. 현대적 예술양식과 위상을 겸비한 한성준의 무용은 현재 활동하고 있는 대부분의 한국 전통무용가들로 그 명맥을 유지하며, 그 영향력을 더욱 확산시키고 있다.

Han Seongjun (1874~1941) is a new-dance transitional artist who played a pivotal role in the Korean dance history during the Japanese colonization period. His achievement was great in reviving artistic traditional dance, especially those disappearing pieces of Joseon dance. Han Seongjun adopted a dance approach through a deep insight into life itself. His dance world was endlessly enlarged by grasping movement with eyes and recognizing it with the whole body. Daily movements were resolved into his unique dance world. His life, therefore, was directly linked to his study of dance. Han Seongjun’s dance pieces have provided a wealth of creative inspiration for the dancers from 1930through 1980. The Korean creative dance came to be finished in its form in the 1980s. Influenced by Han’s dance to respect the inner formal beauty of dancing, the creative dance formed harmony and tension between dance formality and expression. Han Seongjun's dance turns alive and active in most of contemporary dancers thanks to his modern artistic modality and status.

Han Seongjun (1874~1941) is a new-dance transitional artist who played a pivotal role in the Korean dance history during the Japanese colonization period. His achievement was great in reviving artistic traditional dance, especially those disappearing pieces of Joseon dance. Han Seongjun adopted a dance approach through a deep insight into life itself. His dance world was endlessly enlarged by grasping movement with eyes and recognizing it with the whole body. Daily movements were resolved into his unique dance world. His life, therefore, was directly linked to his study of dance. Han Seongjun’s dance pieces have provided a wealth of creative inspiration for the dancers from 1930through 1980. The Korean creative dance came to be finished in its form in the 1980s. Influenced by Han’s dance to respect the inner formal beauty of dancing, the creative dance formed harmony and tension between dance formality and expression. Han Seongjun's dance turns alive and active in most of contemporary dancers thanks to his modern artistic modality and status.