The whir of drumsticks and the beating of drums mesmerized the audience as the curtains opened on the first Harmony Festival put on by the Korean American Association of Laguna Woods. The extravaganza at the Performing Arts Center on March 19 offered Village residents a chance to experience “the essence of Korean culture,” according to its organizers. Performances of song and dance featured two Village groups along with professional entertainers who volunteer their talents in the area. For years, the Korean American group has sponsored an Arirang Festival with participants from the Village and audience members drawn from its own membership. The Korean population of the Village has grown to about 2,500, according to program moderator SangKeun Park. Pearl Lee is a former association board member and the first Korean to serve on the Laguna Woods City Council. “Since the Korean community has been growing rapidly, we felt the need to promote the rich tapestry of Korean culture and tradition to the rest of the Village,” Lee said. The association wanted to create a program that would be entertaining to a local audience by inviting performers from outside the Village to demonstrate both traditional and contemporary song and dance numbers. Colorful costumes, powerful voices and elegant dance moves characterized the performances. Before the show began, audience members stood for the Korean and U.S. national anthems, led by professional singers with spellbinding voices. The Goreu Korean Drum Nanta opened the show with a robust performance that was spirited and well-choreographed. Audience members responded enthusiastically to the group, whose name, “Nanta,” means “beat hard.” Two groups of Village residents exhibited their talents. The Korean Men’s Choir offered musical harmonies while the Korean Women’s Line Dance members presented energetic and spirited dance numbers. A professional troupe offered the Korean traditional dance called Crown Flower Dance, performed at royal banquets since the 1400s. Slow-moving and precise, the dancers waved the sleeves of their flowing white robes with elegant movements. Another traditional dance, the Fan Dance, was first performed at the 1954 Olympics in Mexico City. The dancers manipulated their fans with grace and delicacy, calling to mind fluttering butterflies as they traversed the stage. Before intermission, a high-energy group of youngsters demonstrated Taekwondo moves, complete with loud shouts, dramatic music and the breaking of boards with feet. Taekwondo is the national sport of Korea. The group members are students in the martial arts school of Village resident Dae Kwon Park. The second part of the program was filled with the soaring operatic voices of HyunSook Yang, tenor HoJin Hwang and soprano YeaonHwa Na. The final song, “Arirang,” expressed the longing for unity and reunification of the Korean people. It is part of their shared heritage and is sung by residents of both North and South Korea. “Arirang, which is one of the most popular songs in Korea, symbolizes the Korean spirit of resilience,” Lee said. “One of the most important goals of this festival was not only to honor our differences but to recognize the inclusivity and the power of unity.” More than 10 languages are spoken in the Village, said one of the moderators. “We are all cousins here, living in harmony and peace,” he said.