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Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea

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Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea
Little Angels performing Hourglass Drum Dance
General information
NameLittle Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea
Year foundedMay 5, 1962 (1962-05-05)
FoundersDr. Sun Myung Moon & Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon
Websitehttp://www.littleangels.or.kr/
Senior staff
Chief ExecutiveJulia H. Moon
Executive DirectorImsoon Jung
Artistic staff
Artistic DirectorBae Jung-hye
Other
Official schoolSunhwa Arts School

The Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea (Korean: 리틀엔젤스예술단) is a South Korean traditional art and dance troupe made up of elementary and middle school children,[1] founded in 1962 by Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, to project a positive image of South Korea to the world.[2][3] In 1973 they performed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.[4] 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.[5]

The Little Angels are supported financially by the Tongil Group, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church, through the Tongil Foundation.[6] The Little Angels are part of the Sunhwa Arts School. School fees are sponsored by Sunhwa Educational Foundation so that any talented girl can apply.[7]

History

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Little Angels were established as Daehan Children's Art Troupe on May 5, 1962.[8] It was the time, when South Korea was still recovering from the Korean War. From the very beginning, the mission of the school was to be ambassadors of peace and goodwill,[9] and use creativity to counter the negative image of South Korea at that time, symbolized by famine, poverty, and abandonment, by spreading the 5,000-year-old Korean cultural traditions.[7]

In 1965 permission was granted to establish the Little Angels art school for 720 students and 12 classes.[8]

In 1974, the Little Angels Art Education Center was completed. The newly opened school, called Little Angels School of Arts, accepted 240 pupils. The school was opened by Bo-hi Pak who became the first principal of the school.[8]

In 1975, Sunhwa Academy was founded and Bo-hi Pak was named the first president.[8]

In 1976, Sunhwa Arts High School was accredited and the following year the school was renamed from Little Angels Art School to Sunhwa Art School and Little Angels Troupe become a part of the school with a broader artistic focus.[8]

From 1965 to 1988 they performed over 2000 shows in 40 countries[10] and until 2015 over 7000 shows and 70 foreign tours in 60 countries.[7]

In 1990, they performed in Moscow and the then-Soviet First Lady Raisa Gorbacheva was also a guest.[7]

In May 1998, they performed as part of the cultural diplomacy of the founders in Pyongyang, North Korea. The North Korean leadership subsequently sent a Pyongyang school team to tour South Korea in May 2000.[7]

In 2010, on the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the South Korean government with the Korean War 60th Anniversary Memorial Committee sponsored a Little Angels tour to all countries participating in the 1950 UN appeal for the defense of South Korea.[7] Little Angels started their tour in Norfolk, United States because of ties of the city to General McArthur, who according to officiators turned the momentum of the war.[11] Later that year they traveled to the other 15 nations that had sent troops to support South Korea in the UN force.[12][13]

Repertoire

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The repertoire of Little Angels is classical Korean dance, singing, and playing traditional Korean musical instruments.[7]

  • Chorus – accompanied by their conductor at the piano singing international songs and tunes from Korea.[14]
  • Dances:[14]
    • New Years' Day – since 2021, Choreography Bae Jung-hae, the theme of the Lunar New Year (Seollal) celebration.
    • Peace Road – since 2020, Choreography Bae Jung-hae, dance promoting Peace, global human family, harmony, and cooperation.
    • Jinsoe Festival – an adaptation of the traditional Korean dance "Jinsoe Chum” with gwengwaris (small Korean gongs).
    • Hwageom – dance inspired by the Wonhwa, ladies from the elite class of Hwarang in the Silla Dynasty.
    • Palace – an adaptation of traditional court dances with hansam (flowing extended sleeves) movements.
    • Miyal – dance drama of the Miyal story using a fan.
    • Folk Singing with Gayageum – group performance with gayageum, a musical instrument that originated in the Gaya kingdom and passed on to the Shilla Dynasty.
    • Moon Festival – performance of the Moon Festival (Ganggangsullae), in Korea symbolizing the defense of the fatherland. Dance Ganggangsullae is listed as UNESCO World Heritage.[15]
    • Doll Dance – dance inspired by a Korean tradition - a literal doll dance performed on the lunar new year.
    • Farm Dance – an expression of the farmer’s thanksgiving during the fruitful autumn harvest season.
    • Warrior’s Dance – inspired by general Kim Yu-sin and the Hwarang order in the 7th century, using a melody of the Ballad of Gyeongbuk Palace.
    • Travel by Night – dance story from the Korean past, when grandfather carries his granddaughter through the night.
    • Fan Dance – dance with a fan, which is the symbol of noblesse, a part of Korean tradition.
    • Drum Dance – rhythmic dance with 6 standing drums symbolizes tensions between body and soul.
    • Wedding Day – a dance story of a ludicrous wedding in ancient times, when a very young boy is called to take a much older bride.
    • Hourglass Drum Dance – rhythmic dance with a long, hourglass-shaped drum.
    • Toy Soldiers – dance of the toy soldiers to the music of the Radetzky March, first performed for Queen Elizabeth II. on November 15, 1971.
    • Spring Time – dance of spring-time traditions.
    • The Legend of Chunhyang – puppet-style dance story of the love and fidelity of Korean heroine Chunhyang towards her fiancé.
    • Mask Dance – dance with masks of various kinds is a traditional part of local cultural festivals of ancient Korea.
    • Flower Crown Dance – a modern adaptation of Korean traditional court dance.

Discography

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Albums:[16]

  • The Little Angels, Vinyl LP (Label: Philips – 6308 137), UK, Australia 1972
  • The Little Angels Smile, Vinyl LP (Label: MGM Records – SE-4927, Special Products Division), US 1973
  • The Little Angels, Vinyl LP (Label: Philips – 6308 137, Fontana – SEL-100092), South Korea, Jul 21, 1973
  • 리틀 엔젤스 애창곡 (Little Angels Favorite Songs), CD (SKC SKCD-C-0003), South Korea, March 1, 1987[17]
  • The Little Angels Sing - X-Mas Cards, CD (SKC SKCD-0057),1987
  • Les Petits Anges De Corée – Bienvenue À Séoul, CD (Label: Forlane – UCD 19014), 1988
  • Little Angels Pyongyang Performance Special, CD 1998
  • 공연실황 - 화관무/부채춤/강강수월래 (Live performance - Hwagwanmu / Fan dance / Ganggangsuwolae), Laser Disc (Label. SKC SKST-2003), 2003
  • 리틀엔젤스예술단 – 창단 50주년 특집 (Little Angels Art Troupe – Special performance on the 50th anniversary of its founding), CD (self-released), 2012

Singles & EPs:[16]

  • The Little Angels National Folk Ballet Of Korea – Children Of The World Unite, Vinyl SP (Label: Philips – 6006 270), Netherlands 1972
  • The Little Angels National Folk Ballet Of Korea – Mother Of Mine, Vinyl SP (Label: Philips – 6006 257), United Kingdom 1972
  • The Little Angels – Dominique / Echo Of The Angels, Vinyl SP (Label: MGM Records – K-14657), US 1973
  • The Little Angels – Children Of The World Unite, Vinyl SP (Label: Philips – 6006 270), New Zealand 1973
  • The Little Angels – Dominique / Mother Of Mine, Vinyl SP (Label: Philips – SFL 1768), Japan
  • 8.15 광복절 기념 리틀엔젤스 합창곡 모음 (8.15 Liberation Day Celebration Little Angels Choral Songs), 2021

Overseas tours

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List of overseas tours:[18]

# Tour name / program From To Venue
1 1st US Tour, including Special Performance for US President Eisenhower[9] 1965-09-20 1965-12-16 Gettysburg, PA, US[19][20]
2 2nd US Tour, including Invitational Performance at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. 1966-10-27 1967-02-28 Washington, D.C., U.S.
3 North American Tour, including a week of Performances at the Lincoln Center, N.Y. at the request of the White House (first as a foreign institution) 1967-10-27 1968-01-11 United States and Canada[20]
4 North America and Japan Tour including participation in the Mexico Olympics Culture & Art Festival (enhanced national prestige) 1968-09-17 1969-02-04 Mexico, United States, Japan
5 North America and Japan Tour including Special Performance for the U.S.A. President Nixon[9] and British Prime Minister Heath at the request of the President 1970-09-25 1971-01-25 US, Japan & Canada[20]
6 Europe Tour including a Performance at the British Royal Court at the request of Queen Elisabeth II.[9] 1971-08-27 1971-12-23 Three Nations including Germany and UK
7 Europe Tour including a Meeting with Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands 1972-10-07 1973-02-08 Three Nations including the Netherlands, France
8 Special Fundraising Performance Tour for Rebuilding after the Vietnam War 1972-11-09 1973-03-04 Japan
9 World Tour including Special Performance for 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey 1973-07-06 1973-12-14 Five Nations including Germany, Switzerland
10 North American Tour including Special Fundraising Performance for UNICEF at the UN General Assembly 1973-08-27 1973-12-23 US & Canada
11 North American Tour including Expo'74, World's Fair, in Spokane, Washington 1974-05-28 1974-10-12 US & Canada
12 World Tour including Courtesy Call & Performance for first Tunisian President Bourguiba 1974-07-28 1974-11-24 19 Nations including Taiwan, Philippines
13 World Tour including Courtesy Call to Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Fukuda 1974-10-12 1975-02-14 Six Nations including Japan
14 World Tour including a Courtesy Call & Special Performance for Chile President Pinochet and the First Lady 1975-05-30 1975-10-14 11 Nations including US, Canada
15 US and Europe tour including 4th Conference of the International Association of University Presidents in Boston 1975-08-28 1976-02-13 Three nations including the US, Germany
16 Special Congratulatory Performance for the 200th Anniversary of US Independence 1976-05-26 1976-11-02 US & Canada
17 Special Performance for Korea Day during the Tsukuba International Exposition 1985-05-12 1985-05-19 Tsukuba, Japan
18 Tour in Japan 1990-01-15 1990-01-27 Cities in Japan including Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka
19 Soviet Union Fundraising Performance for Children's Welfare 1990-04-07 1990-04-18 The Soviet Union
20 4 - City Tour in Taiwan 1990-07-10 1990-07-22 Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung
21 Performance in Live International Telethon in Russia 1991-12-29 1992-01-14 Russia
22 Tour in the US 1992-01-10 1992-01-31 Locations in the US including NY, New Jersey, Florida
23 Ten - Performance Tour in Japan 1992-07-20 1992-08-13 Cities in Japan including Tokyo, Osaka, Sendai, Nagoya
24 Tour to Major US Cities 1993-01-12 1993-02-04 Carnegie Hall (NY) & Kennedy Center (Washington, DC)
25 14 - City Tour in Japan 1993-07-25 1993-08-19 14 cities in Japan including Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka
26 China Tour including Participation in the Opening Ceremony of CIGF (China International Garment and Textile Fair Dalian) 1994-07-28 1994-08-26 Taiwan & China
27 14 Performances in Malaysia & Thailand 1996-01-01 1996-01-15 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia & Bangkok, Thailand
28 12 - City Tour in Japan 1996-01-04 1996-01-28 12 cities in Japan including Hokkaido, Aomori
29 Special Live Performance for Israel National Television, CH2 1996-07-31 1996-08-18 Israel
30 11 - City Tour in Japan 1997-01-04 1997-01-21 11 cities in Japan including Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Nagasaki
31 22 - Performance South American Tour 1997-07-20 1997-08-23 Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay
32 13 - City Tour in Japan 1997-08-04 1997-08-31 13 cities in Japan including Hokkaido, Sendai
33 12 - City Tour in Japan 1998-01-12 1998-01-31 12 cities in Japan including Fukuoka, Okazaki
34 Three Performances in North Korea Supporting Reconciliation and Cooperation between North and South Korea 1998-05-01 1998-05-12 Pyongyang, North Korea
35 Ten-City Tour in Japan 1998-07-22 1998-08-20 Ten cities in Japan including Nagano, Chiba, Osaka
36 Nine-City Tour in Japan 1999-08-04 1999-08-23 Nine cities in Japan including Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kobe
37 Seven-City Tour in Japan 2000-07-28 2000-08-13 Seven cities in Japan including Miyagi, Gunma, Tokyo
38 Ten-City Tour in the US 2001-01-01 2001-02-03 Ten cities in the US including NY, Washington, San Antonio
39 Ten-City Tour in Japan 2001-01-12 2001-01-28 Ten cities in Japan including Tokyo, Hiroshima
40 Tour Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Korea - China Diplomatic Relations 2001-07-12 2001-07-21 China
41 Six-City Tour in Japan 2001-07-29 2001-08-09 Six cities in Japan including Sapporo, Nagano, Maeba
42 Ten-City Tour in Japan 2002-07-29 2002-08-12 Ten cities in Japan including Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto
43 Ten-City Tour in the US 2003-01-19 2003-03-05 Ten cities in the US including Chicago, NY, Washington
44 Conference on the Reunification of North & South Korea and Peace in Asia 2003-02-10 2003-02-12 International Conference Hall, Osaka, Japan Kansai
45 Special Performance in Shanghai for the Promotion of Culture & Art 2003-10-23 2003-10-27 Shanghai, China
46 Six-City Japan Tour 2004-02-04 2004-02-20 Six cities in Japan including Fukuoka, Hiroshima
47 Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Korean Immigration to the US 2004-02-09 2004-03-05 US Tour
48 Korean Wave Festival in Beijing 2004-07-14 2004-07-17 The Great Hall of the People, Beijing, China
49 Nine-City Tour in Japan 2005-07-26 2005-08-13 Nine cities in Japan including Tokyo, Sendai
50 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Plenipotentiary Conference 2006 2006-11-07 2006-11-15 Antalya, Turkey
51 Five-City Tour in the US 2007-01-10 2007-01-30 Five cities in the US including Chicago, and Detroit.
52 Seven-City Tour in Japan 2007-07-25 2007-08-08 Seven cities in Japan including Tokyo, and Osaka.
53 Special Performance supporting the bid to Host Expo 2012 in Yeosu Korea 2007-11-21 2007-11-28 Paris, France
54 Seven-City Tour in Japan 2008-07-29 2008-08-13 Seven cities in Japan including Tokyo, Fukuoka
55 Seven-City Tour in the US 2009-01-13 2009-02-21 Seven cities in the US including Saint Louis, Burlington
56 Congratulatory Performance for the Opening of the 2009 Rotary International Convention 2009-06-19 2009-06-25 Birmingham, UK
57 Invitational Performance in Qatar 2009-10-24 2009-10-29 Doha, Qatar
58 1st Korean War 60th Anniversary World Peace Tour to 16 UN Member Nations to Honor Korean War Veterans 2010-06-06 2010-07-09 US, Canada & Columbia
59 2nd Korean War 60th Anniversary World Peace Tour to 16 UN Member Nations to Honor Korean War Veterans 2010-09-07 2010-10-13 7 European Nations & 2 African Nations
60 3rd Korean War 60th Anniversary World Peace Tour to 16 UN Member Nations to Honor Korean War Veterans 2010-11-07 2010-12-07 4 Southeast Asian Nations[21]
61 Nepal - Korea Goodwill Cultural Exchange 2011-02-21 2011-02-28 Nepal
62 Korean War 60th Anniversary World Peace Tour to Countries that Dispatched Medical Units during the Korean War 2011-05-14 2011-06-13 5 European Nations & 1 African Nation
63 Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 2011-09-07 2011-09-14 New York, US
64 Special Performance for Mongolia - Korea Cultural Exchange 2011-11-05 2011-11-11 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
65 World Peace Tour Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War to Countries that Dispatched Medical Units during the Korean War, guest chief minister Sheila Dikshit 2011-11-19 2011-11-25 New Delhi, India[9]
66 World Peace Tour Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War - Western US Region 2012-02-06 2012-02-20 The Western region of the US
67 Tour Commemorating the 59th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice (invited by Ministry of Patriots & Veterans Affairs) 2012-07-24 2012-07-31 Washington, DC, US[22]
68 Tour Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice (Banquet Honoring Korean War Veterans) 2013-07-25 2013-07-30 Washington, DC, US
69 Special Performance for KOREA FESTIVAL 2013 in Singapore; invited by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore 2013-10-23 2013-10-28 EXPO Singapore
70 Little Angels Tour of Europe Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Korea's Liberation 2015-05-06 2015-05-19 Austria, Frankfurt & London
71 Special Tour of Japan Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Korea - Japan Diplomatic Relations 2015-11-22 2015-12-04 4 Cities in Japan: Tokyo, Kobe, Hiroshima & Fukuoka
72 Congratulatory Performance for the Launch of IAPP Asia - Oceania 2016-07-26 2016-08-02 Kathmandu, Nepal
73 Congratulatory Performances for the Launch of IAPP 2016-11-26 2016-12-05 National Theater, Washington, DC; Manhattan Center, New York
74 Korea - Malaysia Peace Tour & Goodwill Performance 2017-01-10 2017-01-19 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
75 Special Performance for the Launch of YSP Asia - Oceania 2017-06-10 2017-06-16 Impact Arena, Bangkok, Thailand
76 Commemorative Celebration of Moon Jae-in’s presidential state visit to China. Korean - China Cultural Exchange Night 2015-11-11 2015-11-15 Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China
77 Congratulatory Performance for the Launch of IAPP, Heavenly Africa 2018-01-15 2018-01-25 CICAD, Dakar, Senegal, Africa
78 Hamina Tattoo International Military Music Festival 2018-07-30 2018-08-04 Bastian, Hamina, Finland
79 Little Angels Japan Tour 2019-01-16 2019-01-20 Omiya Sonic City, Tokyo
80 Special Performance to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Colombia's independence, at the invitation of the Embassy of Colombia, Seoul. 2019-07-05 2019-07-07 Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo, Bogota, Colombia
81 Little Angels Japan tour 2019-10-04 2019-10-08 Aichi Sky Expo

Notable alumni

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  • Dancers of the Little Angels performed Buchaechum, a traditional Korean fan dance at a performing arts centre in Seoul.
    Dancers of the Little Angels performed Buchaechum, a traditional Korean fan dance at a performing arts centre in Seoul.
  • Members of Little Angels performing Drum Dance
    Members of Little Angels performing Drum Dance
  • Artists in Schiphol before they perform for UNICEF in 1972
    Artists in Schiphol before they perform for UNICEF in 1972

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "리틀엔젤스예술단". www.littleangels.or.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  2. ^ Sewell, Rhonda B. (February 28, 2003). "Korean Culture Takes the Stage". The Blade. p. D11. The colors, sounds, and heritage of South Korea will come alive tonight as the Little Angels, an all-girls Korean folk ballet company, performs in the Ritz Theatre in Tiffin. ... The company was founded in 1962 by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon and his wife, Hak Ja Han, as a way to project a positive image of the country...
  3. ^ Moon, Sun Myung (2009). As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen. Gimm-Young Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7166-0299-6. page 67. "My plan was to have these seventeen children learn how to dance and then send them out into the world. Many foreigners knew about Korea only as a poor country that had fought a terrible war. I wanted to show them the beautiful dances of Korea so that they would realize that the Korean people are a people of culture."
  4. ^ Dunning, Jennifer (December 29, 1973). "Dance: The Little Angels; Korean Folk Ballet Presents 31 Children in Intricate Routines and Songs". The New York Times. p. 53.
  5. ^ Dunning, Jennifer (February 1, 1993). "Dance in Review". The New York Times.
  6. ^ Kirk, Donald (May 2, 2010). "Sons rise in a Moon's shadow". Forbes.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Singh, Rani. "Korean Dancers Cross The North-South Divide". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Sunhwa Arts High School - School history". www.sunhwa.org. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Korean 'little angels' to thank Indian war veterans | Delhi News - Times of India". The Times of India. November 20, 2021. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  10. ^ "LITTLE ANGELS PRESENT 'FACE OF KOREA' TO WORLD". Deseret News. 1988-09-22. Archived from the original on 2022-10-10. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  11. ^ Korean War vets thanked by Little Angels in Norfolk, Virginian-Pilot, June 8, 2010.
  12. ^ Yukhananov, Anna (June 7, 2010). "Korean kid ballet to perform free for U.S. troops, vets". Jersey Journal. Archived from the original on 2012-10-16.
  13. ^ "Aquino receives Korean War hero award". ABS-CBN News. December 12, 2010.
  14. ^ a b "Little Angels Repertoire - Dance". www.littleangels.or.kr. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  15. ^ "Republic of Korea, Inscribed in 2009 (4.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage. 4.COM Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee (4.COM) – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 28 September to 2 October 2009 (ITH/10/5.COM/CONF.202/4, decision 4.COM 13.65): 46. 2010-10-14.
  16. ^ a b "The Little Angels". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  17. ^ "Little Angels on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  18. ^ "리틀엔젤스예술단". www.littleangels.or.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  19. ^ "Eisenhower, Dwight D.: Post-Presidential Papers, 1961-69, 1965 Principal File" (PDF). p. 6. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  20. ^ a b c Public Financing of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, Hearing before the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, 92. Congress, 1st session, part Background information on the Korean Cultural and Freedom Foundation, Inc. U.S. Government Printing Office (published 1971-05-24). 1971. p. 99.
  21. ^ "'The Little Angels' of Korea - Document - Gale OneFile: News". go.gale.com. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  22. ^ Sylvestri, Ross (August 2, 2012). "59th Anniversary of Korean War". www.connectionnewspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 정아람 (2012-10-31). "문훈숙·강수진·신영옥·김덕수 등 대표적". 세계일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-10-10.
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