Hansamo Shines at 2026 OMCA Lunar New Year Celebration
On February 21, Hansamo proudly performed at the Lunar New Year Celebration held at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA). This annual festival brings together diverse communities from across the Bay Area to celebrate Lunar New Year through cultural performances, activities, and food. Because the event takes place at a museum, many visitors exploring the galleries and gardens also pause to enjoy the live performances. As a result, Hansamo was able to share Korean traditional performing arts with a large and diverse audience.
Blessed with bright sunshine and clear skies, the outdoor stage felt especially vibrant. The green lawn became a natural gathering space for families and visitors, and the colorful costumes stood out beautifully against the February landscape.
Hansamo showcased three performances on this stage, beginning with Nanta. The powerful, synchronized drumbeats immediately captured the audience’s attention and energized the crowd. The performers played with intensity, precision, and strong stage presence, creating an exciting atmosphere from the beginning of the program.
Samgomu followed, blending graceful movement with rhythmic drumming. This year’s Samgomu performance reflected noticeable growth in the performers’ skills. Through consistent practice throughout the year, their movements became more confident and natural. Their facial expressions were relaxed and expressive, with many performers smiling naturally during the dance, showing increased comfort and stage confidence. The precise yet graceful choreography highlighted both elegance and technical improvement, earning warm responses from the audience.
The program concluded with a dynamic Pungmulnori performance built around the powerful sounds of traditional Korean instruments. The performance began with a full Pungmul ensemble, with taepyeongso, buk, and janggu rhythms blending together. As the music intensified, beona spinning followed, showcasing the performers’ balance and control as they skillfully spun objects on long poles. Next came yeoldu-bal, the twelve-revolution ribbon-spinning technique performed with sangmo hats. The performance continued with an engaging lion mask dance that delighted the audience with its playful and expressive movements. As each segment flowed seamlessly into the next, the energy of the performance kept building, drawing loud cheers and enthusiastic applause.
This year’s stage was especially meaningful as younger members stepped into roles once held by last year’s graduating seniors. Taking on greater responsibility and leading with growing confidence, they demonstrated the continuity and mentorship that define Hansamo.
It was a long and tiring day due to early morning rehearsal and long hours of waiting , but under the warm sun and before a supportive, diverse audience, the students experienced a deep sense of accomplishment. Though exhausted by the end, they left with proud smiles, knowing the day had been both challenging and truly rewarding.
