Julia Hoon Sook Moon - 2012 International Citation of Merit Recipient

Julia H. Moon, will be the recipient of the 2012 International Citation of Merit at the Seoul 2012 ISPA Congress, Cultural Shifts www.ispa.org/congresses/seoul2012

Julia H. Moon

Julia H. Moon is the General Director of Universal Ballet. Born in Washington D.C., Julia H. Moon traveled to receive ballet instruction in Korea at the age of 10. While studying at Sun Hwa Arts School in Seoul, she subsequently took lessons at the Royal Ballet in London and L’Academie de Dance Classique de Princess Grace of Monaco. In December 1989, Julia H. Moon became the first Asian to be invited by the Kirov Ballet, where made her debut in a performance of Giselle and also appeared in Don Quixote and Swan Lake. She also has been performing overseas with the Washington Ballet.

A Founding member of Universal Ballet in 1984 and General Director of the company since 1996, Julia H. Moon retired from the stage in 2001 and became active in the management. Universal Ballet is Korea’s first professional ballet company in the private sector and under her direction, the company continues to be the leading force of ballet in Korea. She has focused on broadening the audience and engaging social service projects, the first Korean ballet company to provide real time subtitles in Korea during a performance. Julia H. Moon has made has made great contribution to popularizing ballet among Koreans and to elevating Korean ballet to a global level. For the first time an original Korean ballet production has performed in the Middle East, Universal Ballet performed at Oman Opera House on November 2011.

In 2010, Julia H. Moon has received the Order of Cultural Merit, Hwagwan Class, from Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea for making exceptional contribution to the development of culture and arts in Korea and has received several awards such Korea’s Arts and Culture Awards in 1999.