Universal Ballet

{{short description|South Korean ballet company}}

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.{{cite news|author=Dunning, Jennifer|author-link=Jennifer Dunning|title=Moon Church Founds Ballet School|work=The New York Times|date=8 September 1990|page=1001013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20141128000741|title=For Julia Moon, life is a date with destiny|work=The Korea Herald|date=28 November 2014|access-date=2019-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714180521/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20141128000741 |archive-date=2022-07-14 |url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.exploredance.com/article.htm?id=1150|author=Robert Abrams|title=Interview with Julia Moon|website=exploredance.com|date=23 June 2004|access-date=2019-06-01}}[http://www.voiceofdance.com/v1/features.cfm/1600/Inside-and-Outside-the-Korean-Dance-Scene-Korea-World-Dance-Stars-Festival600.html Inside and Outside the Korean Dance Scene] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120215152558/http://www.voiceofdance.com/v1/features.cfm/1600/Inside-and-Outside-the-Korean-Dance-Scene-Korea-World-Dance-Stars-Festival600.html|date=15 February 2012}}

According to the New York Times the Universal Ballet is considered to be one of Asia's leading ballet companies.{{cite news|author=Robertson, Allen|title=Dance; A Small Place Reaches for Ballet's Big Time|work=New York Times|date=29 July 2001|page=2002020}}