Halla Pai Huhm facts for kids

Halla Pai Huhm (born 1922, died 1994) was a very important Korean-American dancer. She was also the most famous teacher of Korean dance in Hawaii. She started her own dance school, called the Halla Pai Huhm dance studio. After she passed away, a special collection of her work was created. This collection includes her documents, photos, and recordings. It was even named a "U.S. Irreplaceable Dance Treasure" in 2001.

About Halla Pai Huhm

Her Early Life and Dance Training

Halla Pai Huhm was born in Busan, Korea, in 1922. When she was five years old, she moved to Japan with her four brothers and sisters. Her father's niece, Pai Ku-ja, raised her. Pai Ku-ja was a dancer herself. She taught Halla the basics of modern, Japanese, and Korean dance. She even passed her family name, "Pai," to Halla.

Later, Halla studied ballet and modern dance in Europe. She also earned a college degree from Jitsen University. When World War II began, she returned to Korea. She continued to learn Korean dance from famous teachers like Han Sung-jin. She kept studying dance even after she moved to Hawaii in 1949. Halla often traveled back to Korea for her job at a travel agency. She used these trips to learn even more about dance.

Teaching Dance in Honolulu

Halla moved to Hawaii in 1949 to join her husband, who was a Korean-American soldier. She first performed in Honolulu in 1954. This was during a play called Teahouse of the Autumn Moon at the Honolulu Community Theatre.

Halla started teaching Korean dance informally in 1950. By 1960, she had opened her own dance studio. It was hard to keep the studio open because she didn't have much money. At that time, some people thought that only kisaeng (female entertainers) danced. Also, some local Koreans felt Halla was "too Japanese." This was because she spoke Japanese very well and got along with the Japanese community. She kept her studio running by using money from her travel agency job.

In 1959, she began teaching Korean dance at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She stopped teaching there in the 1970s. However, she stayed close with their Korean Studies Center. In 1983, she taught Korean dance at the Chongju University of Education. Halla taught dance to keep Korean dance alive in Hawaii. She also wanted to share the traditions and values of her culture.

She worked with other talented dancers. These included Chun Hyung Kim, who was an expert in Korean court dances. She also worked with Ji San Lee, a shaman.

Her Lasting Impact

The Halla Pai Huhm Korean Dance Studio is very special. It is "the only continuous source of Korean dance and music in the United States." Halla was the first person to receive the "Outstanding Korean in Hawaii" award. In 1980, she also received a cultural medal from the South Korean government.

Halla passed away in 1994. Her life and work were celebrated at several dance events. These events were organized by Mary Jo Freshley.

The Halla Pai Huhm Foundation was created to honor her. It includes the dance studio she ran. It also has an archive of all the documents and items Halla collected. This archive was named a "U.S. Irreplaceable Dance Treasure" in 2001. It received money to help protect the items from Hawaii's humid weather.

In 2013, a filmmaker named Billie Lee made a documentary about Halla's work. It was called "Moving Home: The Legacy of Halla Pai Huhm."

Selected Works

• 1980, Kut, Korean shamanist rituals