Julia Moon | |
Hangul | 문훈숙 |
---|---|
Revised Romanization | Mun Hun-suk |
McCune–Reischauer | Mun Hunsuk |
Julia H. Moon also known as Hoon Sook Moon (born Hoon Sook Pak,January 1,1963 [1] ) is the General Director of Universal Ballet in South Korea,and daughter-in-law of Sun Myung Moon,founder of the ballet company. [2] She was the prima ballerina of the company.
Julia Moon was born in 1963 in Washington,D.C.,as Hoon Sook Pak. [3] [4] [5] Her father,Bo Hi Pak,is a senior leader in the Unification Church [2] and has been responsible for News World Communications (which published The Washington Times ),CAUSA International,the Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea,and other church related organizations. [6] At the age of ten,Julia Moon traveled to Korea to receive dance instruction with the Little Angels,which had been founded in 1962 by Sun Myung Moon. [7] She performed as a singer and dancer with them. [8] "At first,I was interested in gymnastics. Then I wanted to dance,but when I realized how much hard work it involved,I wanted to change. But my parents were very encouraging about me continuing with ballet," she said. [7] She took courses in ballet at the Sun Hwa Arts School in Seoul,and subsequently received instruction at the Royal Ballet School in London and L'Academie de Dance Classique de Princess Grace of Monaco. [7] She was a dancer with the Ohio Ballet,and the Washington Ballet; [7] joining the latter in 1982. [3]
After her fiancé Heung Jin Moon died in an automobile accident,Sun Myung Moon founded a dance company for her. [2] [4] She had been engaged to Sun Myung Moon's 17-year-old son,who died in 1984. [2] She was previously known as Julia Pak,and was already a gifted ballet performer prior to the incident. [2] "We had no definite date for a marriage but it was implicit that we would be together. Rev Moon had suggested us but we had made the decision," she said of her fiancé. [9] In a ceremony,she was married to the spirit of Sun Myung Moon's son after his death,and became Moon's daughter-in-law. [2] [10] This was in accordance with Unification Church beliefs that only people who are married may enter into heaven. [6] [11] She had been performing overseas with the Washington Ballet,but was called back to the United States in order to be spiritually married to Heung Jin Nim. [12] The marriage to her husband's spirit is believed to be "permanent and indissoluble". [13]
She explained to The Evening Standard about marrying a deceased groom,"In Korean tradition,I've heard there are other cases of this kind of marriage. In our church,my case is the only one where it's happened this way. But even if this personal situation had not happened,the company would still have got started." [14] Julia Moon commented to Dance Magazine on her relationship with her husband,"When I dance,I'm communicating with my husband. He's not here physically,but he's close in spirit." [5] She stated she "had a son with Jin" through adoption of her sister's son. [5] "I have an adopted son,aged eight. My husband's younger brother's family wanted to offer me their child," she said to The Evening Standard in 2000. [14]
The Universal Ballet company of South Korea was founded to serve as a memorial to her husband. [2] Universal Ballet of Seoul,Korea was founded in 1984,and the Universal Ballet Foundation,Inc. was started by the Unification Church in 1986. [6] Located in Washington,D.C.,the Universal Ballet Foundation,Inc. operates as a casting office for the Universal Ballet of Korea. [6] The dance company was initially started by Bo Hi Pak and ballerina Adrienne Dellas. [14] [15] Dellas had previously served as a dance instructor for Julia Moon. [15] Julia Moon's father served as president of Universal Ballet as of 2000;he was also chairman of the Korean Cultural Foundation. [2] At its inception,Julia Moon was the primal ballerina of Universal Ballet. [15] In 1986,Julia Moon performed as the lead ballerina dancer at a performance based on a Korean folk tale called Shim Chung,in a production at the Asian Games,Culture and Arts Festival in Seoul. [15] Shim Chung went on to become a popular performance piece in South Korea. [15]
In December 1989,Julia Moon made her debut with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad in a performance of Giselle . [16] [17] To promote the performance,Sun Myung Moon took out a full-page advertisement in The New York Times . [16] The ad featured an image of Sun Myung Moon. [16] It also contained the text of an interview with Sun Myung Moon by a Soviet reporter,where Moon said the ballet was "an important moment in the development of my personal contact with the Soviet Union". [16] Sun Myung Moon created the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Northeast for Julia,and recruited Oleg Vinogradov of the Kirov Ballet in Russia to serve as artistic director; [18] Vinogradov was appointed to the role in 1998. [19]
In 1990,the founder of the Washington Ballet Mary Day commented to The New York Times about Julia Moon,"She's a lovely,lovely girl,and a lovely dancer and person. We were sorry to lose her when she went back to Korea to start the company." [20] As of 1990 the Universal Ballet company had yet to perform in the United States,but had hired guest performers from the U.S. at significant cost. [21]
In a 1993 interview with Tulsa World ,Julia Moon said of the art of ballet,"It's really a universal language." [7] She spoke of Korean dancers versus other styles,"I think I would say that Korean dancers - those born and raised there - are very lyrical in their movements,more so than Japanese or Chinese or American dancers," she said. "It's probably something related to Korean folk dancing,which uses a very soft line and is very lyrical." [7] In 1995,Julia Moon started her term as the general director of the Universal Ballet company. [22]
The Universal Ballet company's first tour in the United States was in 1998. [23] Julia Moon said that the company is separate from Sun Myung Moon,and that only herself and one other member are also members of the Unification Church. [23] Approximately half of the administrative staff,headed by her father,Bo Hi Pak,one of Rev. Moon's chief aides,belong to the Unification Church. [24] She said the company does not perform modern ballet styles,due to her view that the "classical form is the most beautiful form and therefore that's where our background is". [23] She commented that she would like for the company to move in the direction of more contemporary pieces,"We really do want to know more of these contemporary modern works. I think we're ready for it. We need to expand artistically in that area,as well as keeping parallel with the classical tradition." [23]
In 2000,Julia Moon was interviewed by The Daily Telegraph on her thoughts about being the general director of Universal Ballet. [2] "I lack certain qualities,as a dancer and as a director. Sometimes I do wish I was a nobody,but because this company was formed on me,I feel that if I faltered or wavered the company would falter as well," she said. [2] She commented in 2000 to The Evening Standard about homosexuality in ballet,"It exists in Korea,but since we started 16 years ago we haven't had any gay dancers. We just haven't had to deal with that issue." [14]
In 2001,the Universal Ballet company performed Shim Chung in California. [25] Julia Moon commented to The Press-Enterprise on the selection of Shim Chung as the performance piece,"We thought that this would be a good ballet to bring with us on this tour. We are very proud of it and we think that it is a very beautiful ballet. But beyond that I believe it demonstrates in the most convincing way possible that classical ballet and Korean literary and dance traditions can come together to create a new dance form,a blend in which each of the parts has its place." [25] She to The Press-Telegram in 2001 that at this point Universal Ballet was judged more for its artistic merit than its origins,"People are now judging us by our artistry. The press is less interested in the connection with the church. The church has no role in the ballet company. I am a member of the church,as is one other dancer." [26] In 2002,Julia Moon retired from her position as the star of the Universal Ballet company. [27]
In 2004,the Universal Ballet company performed La Bayadère at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Korea. [28] "The ballet is known for its spectacle. It's mammoth,visually grand and one of the more exotic ballets in the repertory," explained Julia Moon. [28] By 2004,she had become artistic director of Universal Ballet. [28] In 2004,Bo Hi Pak was the chairman of the board of directors of the Universal Ballet company. [22] According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram ,"[Julia Moon's] role as general director had been at times overshadowed by the strong presence and energy of the Rev. Moon,and Pak,both of whom share a desire to create a world-class ballet company for Korea." [22] In 2008,the Unification Church still gave financial support to the Universal Ballet company,and Julia Moon had a position on the company's board of directors. [29]
In 2011,she received the Kyung-Ahm Prize.
Sun Myung Moon was a Korean religious leader,also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant,he was the founder of the Unification Church,whose members consider him and his wife Hak Ja Han to be their "True Parents",and of its widely noted "Blessing" or mass wedding ceremonies. The author of the Unification Church's religious scripture,the Divine Principle,he was an anti-communist and an advocate for Korean reunification,for which he was recognized by the governments of both North and South Korea. Businesses he promoted included News World Communications,an international news media corporation known for its American subsidiary The Washington Times,and Tongil Group,a South Korean business group (chaebol),as well as other related organizations.
Bo Hi Pak was a prominent member of the Unification Church. During the 1970s and 1980s,he was a major leader in the church movement,leading projects such as newspapers,schools,performing arts projects,political projects such as the anti-communist organization CAUSA International,and was president of the Unification Church International 1977–1991. He was also the president of Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea.
The Unification Church is a new religious movement derived from Christianity,whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies. It was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Seoul,South Korea,as the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity;in 1994,the organization changed its name to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. It has a presence in approximately 100 countries around the world. Its leaders are Moon and his wife,Hak Ja Han,whom their followers honor with the title "True Parents."
Hak Ja Han Moon is an international religious leader. Her late husband Sun Myung Moon was the founder of the Unification Church (UC). Han and Moon were married in April 1960 and have 10 living children and over 30 grandchildren. In 1992,she established the Women's Federation for World Peace,and traveled the world speaking on its behalf. Since her husband's death,she has assumed leadership of the Unification Church,whose followers call her "True Mother" and "Mother of Peace".
Heung Jin Moon,also referred to by members of the Unification Church (UC) as Heung Jin Nim or posthumously as Lord Heung Jin Nim,was the second son of church founders Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han. At the age of 17 he died in a vehicle accident in New York State. Three months later his parents conducted a spiritual wedding ceremony between him and Julia Pak,daughter of church leader,Bo Hi Pak. He is officially regarded by the UC to be the "king of the spirits" in heaven. After Moon's death,some church members claimed that they were channelling messages from his spirit. In 1988 a church member from Zimbabwe,named Kundioni,claimed to be the incarnation of Moon. His acts of violence against church members were a source of controversy within the church. Moon is now believed by church members to be leading workshops in the spiritual world in which spirits of deceased persons are taught UC teachings.
Inchon is a 1981 war film about the Battle of Inchon,considered to be the turning point of the Korean War. Directed by Terence Young and financed by Unification movement founder Sun Myung Moon,the film stars Laurence Olivier as General Douglas MacArthur,who led the United States' surprise amphibious landing at Incheon,South Korea in 1950,with Jacqueline Bisset,Ben Gazzara,Toshiro Mifune and Richard Roundtree.
News World Communications Inc. is an American international news media corporation.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova is a Russian prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of Dance,published in 1981,notes that "her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation in the West."
Nansook Hong,is the author of the autobiography,In the Shadow of the Moons:My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family,published in 1998 by Little,Brown and Company. It gave her account of her life up to that time,including her marriage to Hyo Jin Moon,the first son of Unification Church founder and leader Sun Myung Moon and his wife Hakja Han Moon.
The Kirov Academy of Ballet was a ballet school in Washington,D.C. founded by Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon in 1990. It closed in May 2022.
The Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea is a South Korean traditional art and dance troupe made up of elementary and middle school children,founded in 1962 by Sun Myung Moon,the founder of the Unification Church,to project a positive image of South Korea to the world. In 1973 they performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The group’s dances are based on Korean legends and regional dances,and its costumes on traditional Korean styles. Choral singing by the troupe in many languages is also featured.
Sunhwa Arts School (Korean: 선화예술고등학교) is a private coeducational college preparatory arts academy located in Seoul,South Korea. Founded as the Little Angels Art School in 1973 by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon,the Sunhwa Arts School was launched in 1974 and has been supported by the Sunhwa Educational Foundation since 1977,when this foundation was created by Reverend Moon.
The Universal Ballet was founded in Seoul,South Korea in 1984. One of only five professional ballet companies in South Korea,the company performs a repertory that includes many full length classical story ballets,together with shorter contemporary works and original full-length Korean ballets created especially for the company. The company is supported by followers of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon,with Moon's daughter-in-law Julia H. Moon,who was the company's prima ballerina until 2001,now serving as General Director.
Moon Kook-jin,also known as Justin Moon,is a Korean American religious leader,businessman,and gun manufacturer. He is the son of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han. His father is the founder of the Unification Church and his mother is its present leader.
The Unification Church of the United States is the branch of the Unification Church in the United States. It began in the late 1950s and early 1960s when missionaries from South Korea were sent to America by the international Unification Church's founder and leader Sun Myung Moon. It expanded in the 1970s and then became involved in controversy due to its theology,its political activism,and the lifestyle of its members. Since then,it has been involved in many areas of American society and has established businesses,news media,projects in education and the arts,as well as taking part in political and social activism,and has itself gone through substantial changes.
Lisa Teresita Macuja Elizalde is a Filipino prima ballerina. In 1984,she became the first foreign soloist to ever join the Kirov Ballet. In the Philippines,she is the Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Manila and was the Vice-Chairman of the Philippine UNESCO National Commission. She was also the Commissioner of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women. Macuja-Elizalde is also Directress and faculty member of the Lisa Macuja School of Ballet –a training center for ballet professionals who are steeped in the Russian Vaganova method. She is also the founder of Project Ballet Futures (PBF) - an internationally recognized community scholarship program that provides training and performance opportunities for deserving public school students.
Hee Seo is a South Korean ballet dancer who is a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT),one of the three leading classical ballet companies in the United States. She became the company's first Korean ballerina to be promoted to principal dancer in ABT's 75-year history. She is also one of the youngest dancers in ABT history to be promoted to principal at the age of twenty-six. The New York Times has described her style and dancing to "exude an unhurried purity that sums up all that is lovely about ballet" and by Vogue as "unspeakably lissome". Several critics have noted her style as "lyrical and open" and she has been critically acclaimed for her "humility" and "unique feminine strength".
Daniel G. Fefferman is a church leader and activist for the freedom of religion. He is a member of the Unification Church of the United States,a branch of the international Unification Church founded by Sun Myung Moon in South Korea in 1954.
Sun Myung Moon,founder of the Unification Church,believed in a literal Kingdom of God on earth to be brought about by human effort,motivating his establishment of numerous groups,some that are not strictly religious in their purposes. Moon was not directly involved with managing the day-to-day activities of the organizations that he indirectly oversaw,yet all of them attribute the inspiration behind their work to his leadership and teachings.