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The Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea is a Korean traditional art and
dance troupe A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a sport, spectacle or entertainment. There are many different types of dance companies, often working in different styles of da ...
made up of elementary and middle school children, founded in 1962 by
Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon (; born Yong Myung Moon; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) 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 Un ...
, the founder of the
Unification Church The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, widely known as the Unification Church, is a new religious movement, whose members are called Unificationists, or " Moonies". It was officially founded on 1 May 1954 under the name Holy Sp ...
, to project a positive image of
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
to the world. 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." In 1973 they performed at the
United Nations Headquarters zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas , image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg , im ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. 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. The Little Angels are supported financially by the
Tongil Group Tongil Group ( ko, 통일그룹) is a Korean business group ( chaebol) associated with the Unification Church (UC). (“Tongil” is Korean for “unification,” the name of the Unification Church in Korean is “Tongilgyo.”) It was founded in ...
, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church, through the Tongil Foundation. 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.


History

Little Angels were established as Daehan Children's Art Troupe on May 5, 1962. It was the time, when South Korea was ravaged by the Korean war. From the very beginning, the mission of the school was to be ambassadors of peace and goodwill, and use creativity to counter the image of Korea at that time, symbolized by famine, poverty, and abandonment, by spreading the 5000-year-old Korean cultural traditions. In 1965 permission was granted to establish the Little Angels art school for 720 students and 12 classes. 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. In 1975, Sunhwa Academy was founded and Bo-hi Pak was named the first president. 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. From 1965 to 1988 they performed over 2000 shows in 40 countries and until 2015 over 7000 shows and 70 foreign tours in 60 countries. In May 1998, they performed as part of the cultural diplomacy of the founders in
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
, the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
. The North Korean leadership subsequently sent a Pyongyang school team to tour South Korea in May 2000. In 1990, they performed in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
and the then First Lady
Raisa Gorbacheva Raisa Maximovna Gorbacheva (russian: link=no, Раи́са Макси́мовна Горбачёва Romanized ''Raisa Maksimovna Gorbachyova'', , Титаренко; 5 January 1932 – 20 September 1999) was a Soviet-Russian activist and phi ...
was also a guest. In 2010, on the 60th anniversary of the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
, the 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 Korea. Little Angels started their tour in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...
, United States because of ties of the city to General McArthur, who according to officiators turned the momentum of the war. Later that year they traveled to the other 15 nations that had sent troops to support South Korea in the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
force.


Repertoire

The repertoire of Little Angels is classical Korean dance, singing, and playing traditional Korean musical instruments. * Chorus – accompanied by their conductor at the piano singing international songs and tunes from Korea. * Dances: ** 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 A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. ** 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
Gim Yu-sin Gim Yu-sin (sometimes romanized Kim Yu-shin, Gim Yu-sin, or Gim Yu-shin) (595 – 18 August 673) was a Korean military general and politician in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla under the reign of King ...
and the
Hwarang Hwarang, also known as Hwarang Corps, and Flowering Knights, were an elite warrior group of male youth in Silla, an ancient kingdom of the Korean Peninsula that lasted until the 10th century. There were educational institutions as well as social ...
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

Albums: * 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), USA 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 * 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: * 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), USA 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

List of overseas tours:


Notable alumni

* Sumi Jo - operatic soprano * Young-ok Shin -
coloratura soprano A coloratura soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that specializes in music that is distinguished by agile runs, leaps and trills. The term '' coloratura'' refers to the elaborate ornamentation of a melody, which is a typical component o ...
* Kang Sue-jin - primabalerina in
Stuttgart ballet Stuttgart Ballet is a leading German ballet company. Dating back to 1609, then the court ballet of the dukes of Württemberg, the modern company was founded by John Cranko and is known for full-length narrative ballets. The company received the L ...
* Park, Han-byul -
actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...
and
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the Plan_(drawing), plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a mea ...
* Hwang, Jung-eum - actress and
singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
* Hoon-suk Moon - director of
Universal Ballet 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 contempora ...
* Deok-su Kim - professor at
Korea National University of Arts Korea National University of Arts is a national university in Seoul, South Korea. Korea National University of Arts was established in 1993 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea as the only national university of arts with an a ...
* Shim Sook-kyung - choreographer of the
National Gugak Center The National Gugak Center, located in Seoul, South Korea, is the primary institution of learning for Korean traditional music (), including both court music and folk music. It was founded in 1951 through a merger of Korean musical organizati ...
* Lee No-yeon - chief choreographer of Busan City Dance Company * Hong Kyung-hee - director of Jeonbuk Provincial Dance Company * Nam Ki-moon - representative of
Samulnori Samul nori (사물놀이) is a genre of percussion music that originated in Korea. The word ''samul'' means "four objects", while ''nori'' means "play". Samul nori is performed with four traditional Korean musical instruments. They are ''Kkwaenggw ...
,
National Gugak Center The National Gugak Center, located in Seoul, South Korea, is the primary institution of learning for Korean traditional music (), including both court music and folk music. It was founded in 1951 through a merger of Korean musical organizati ...
* Shin Myung-sook - head of the Department of Dance and Art at
Daejin University Daejin University is a private university located in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It was founded by Daesun Jinrihoe in November 1991 and opened in March 1992. The university operates Daejin University China Campus, a study abroa ...
* Kwak Eun-ah - professor of Korean Music at
Ewha Womans University Ewha Womans University () is a private women's university in Seoul founded in 1886 by Mary F. Scranton under Emperor Gojong. It was the first university founded in South Korea. Currently, Ewha is one of the world's largest female educational ins ...
* Jeon Eun-ja - professor of dance at
Sungkyunkwan University Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU or simply ''Seongdae'', Hangul: 성균관대학교; Hanja: 成均館大學校) is a private comprehensive research university in South Korea. The institution traces its origins to the historic Sungkyunkwan, founde ...
* Kim Woon-mi - professor of dance at
Hanyang University Hanyang University (Korean: 한양대학교) is a private research university in South Korea. The main campus is located in Seoul and its satellite campus, the Education Research Industry Cluster (ERICA campus), is in Ansan. ''Hanyang'' (한양, ...
* Yu-oh Jeon - professor of dance at
Seowon University (Acronym: SWU; Korean language, Korean: 서원대학교, Seowon Daehakgyo, colloquially Seowondae) is a four-year private university located in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, South Korea. It was established in 1968 and was also called Cheongju Col ...
* Eun-young Park - KBS announcer


Gallery


See also

*
Korean dance Dance in Korea began with shamanistic early rituals five thousand years ago and now ranges from folk dance to newly created and adopted contemporary dance. Overview Korean traditional dance originated in ancient shamanistic rituals thousands ...


References


External links


Korean War 60th Anniversary Memorial
{{authority control Unification Church affiliated organizations Dance companies in South Korea Unification Church and the arts