YOOK, Wan-soon 1933-

PERSONAL: Born June 16, 1933, in Ch'ungju, Korea. Education: Ewha Women's University, B.A., 1956, M.A., 1961; attended University of California—Long Beach, 1971, and University of Illinois; Hanyang University, Ph.D., 1986; also attended Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, American Dance Festival, and Connecticut Summer Dance School, 1961-63.

CAREER: Orchesis Dance Company, founder, dancer, choreographer, and teacher, 1963-74; Korea Contemporary Dance Company, cofounder and artistic director, beginning 1975; Duljje (modern dance company; now TAM), founder, 1980; Modern Dance Promotion of Korea, founder, 1985. Lecturer at Ewha Women's University, Kyounghee University, Sookmyoung Women's University, Hanyang University, and Sangmyoung University, 1959-91. Performed as dancer on international tours, including appearances in New York, NY, Paris, France, London, England, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and St. Petersburg, Russia, between 1975 and 1996; choreographer and director of dance performances for Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, 1988; American Dance Festival, Seoul, host, beginning 1990; Environmental Arts Festival, copresenter, 1996; Seoul International Children and Youth Dance Festival, affiliate, 1997.

MEMBER: Modern Dance Association of Korea (founder, 1980).

AWARDS, HONORS: Seoul Cultural Award, 1981; Republic of Korea, Social Educator's Award, 1982, Award for Artistic Achievement, 1989; Christian Cultural Award, 1987; choreography award, 1988, for Olympic Games, Seoul; Appreciation Award, mayor of Los Angeles, CA, 1993.

WRITINGS:

Modern Dance, [Seoul, Korea], 1979.

Modern Dance Techniques, [Seoul, Korea], 1981.

Dance Improvisation, [Seoul, Korea], 1983.

Choreography, [Seoul, Korea], 1984.

(With Lee Hee-sun) Curriculum in Dance Education, [Seoul, Korea], 1992.

TRANSLATOR

Martha Graham, [Seoul, Korea], 1984.

History of Western Dance, [Seoul, Korea], 1986.

Letters on Dancing and Ballets, [Seoul, Korea], 1987.

(With Ha Jung-ae, Park Myung-sook, and Kwun Yoonbang) Isadora and Esenin, [Seoul, Korea], 1988.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

International Dictionary of Modern Dance, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.*