Evolution of Dance...uh, I Mean, Taekwondo

In one of my Facebook groups, someone posted that this was "Not Taekwondo."

While it may be hard for some to stomach, we have to continue to evolve Taekwondo to appeal to more audiences. Martial art is not just self-defense, but also an art form that can be adapted to many different genres and settings. Dance and Taekwondo both involve mastery of one's body, and the blending of the two in modern demonstrations has attracted many to Taekwondo that may have not been interested before.

Some of those kicks require a high level of skill and the whole routine involves an insane amount of cardio. I doubt many black belts could do that whole routine without looking looking absolutely exhausted or passing out. Yet these ladies look like they aren't putting in any effort, which, paradoxically, requires a lot of effort.

Another aspect to consider is that part of the reason we wince at these routines are that martial arts are considered a more "masculine" activity, so cute or more "feminine" takes are considered "wrong".

I also initially cringed at these sorts of routines, and I don't agree with "sexy" routines. However, showing young girls in particular that you can be both feminine and powerful empowers them to begin or continue their martial arts journey. Why would you ostracize half the world's population from doing martial arts?

Whether we use Taekwondo for sport, exercise, or just plain show, the driving force and root of all Taekwondo activity remains still: the discipline and passion required to execute high level skills and the respect we learn from our masters and colleagues. If you have that, it doesn't matter to me whether you dance to Kpop, become an Olympian, or practice casually to lose weight. Everyone has their own personal reason to practice Taekwondo, connecting them closer to the art and keeping Taekwondo alive and well.