PROVO, UTAH
Performing for the queen of Thailand, being welcomed to India by Indira Gandhi, meeting Mother Teresa and visiting 66 countries around the world — these are the accomplishments Brigham Young University's Young Ambassadors, observing the performing group's 40th anniversary this year.
Janie Thompson founded the singing and dancing group in 1970 when she was invited to prepare a group from BYU to represent the United States at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan, the first World's Fair held in that country.
The original name of the group was the Brigham Young Ambassadors, but over the years it became simply the Young Ambassadors, said Randy Boothe, artistic director.
Listing off countries from Australia to Scandinavia, Brother Boothe said many of the countries invite them to come perform and, as they build up friendships, they are invited back.
"We've been to the People's Republic of China seven times," he said. "We were invited by the Ministry of Culture and the Chinese government has welcomed us with open arms."
Brother Boothe was a member of the first Young Ambassadors group as a freshman at BYU. After serving a mission, graduating from BYU-Hawaii and directing for Disney, he returned to BYU in 1977 as artistic director for the group.
Each spring, the group goes on a tour, traveling internationally and nationally to perform shows it rehearses for months, he said. As the group travels, it gives night performances, usually in the biggest concert hall in each city in which the group performs.
During the day, the group's members spend much of their time in hospitals, care centers, orphanages and schools, which is what the group loves most, Brother Boothe said.
"Their favorites would definitely be being one on one with people who are out there in the trenches," he said. "Being able to go to an orphanage or a hospital, going to people who would not necessarily have that interaction if we didn't go there."
Ed Blaser, performing arts manager at BYU, books tours for the group. He said the Young Ambassadors have been wonderful to represent over the years and it has been a good outreach program.
"They are really committed to this idea of sharing friendship through music and dance," he said.
Sharing friendship is a key element in what the group is about. Touring is not only a great educational experience for the students as they live with host families, eat native food and try to speak the language, but it also builds friendships that have grown strong over the years, Brother Boothe said.
They take a class the semester before they travel that teaches them about the political history, arts, lifestyle and language of the countries they will visit. This helps ensure the students won't miss out on sightseeing and experiencing the countries in which they perform because of their busy schedule.
Once there, instead of hiring tour guides, past acquaintances or local members of the Church take them around to the sites of interest.
"It's so much more fun to interact with the people who live there," Brother Boothe said.
This year, the group has 38 students — 20 singers and dancers, 10 show band members and eight student technicians, all of whom go on the tours. The students must re-audition each April if they want to participate the following year, beginning rehearsals in August and performances in November.
In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Young Ambassadors performed a concert, "The New Music Makers," Feb. 11-13, in the de Jong Concert Hall on BYU's campus.
The anniversary show, "The New Music Makers," was full of Broadway hits, popular songs from the '60s and '70s and contemporary songs.
Six guest artists who were once in the Young Ambassadors group returned to perform, as well, including Summer Naomi Smart, who is now a well-known film and stage actor.
Along with the core group, 70 alumni performed on stage with and 160 alumni performed with them at a fireside in the LDS Conference Center Theater Sunday evening, Feb. 14.
The performances were a celebration of the many years of friendship and service rendered by the Young Ambassadors.
Brother Boothe said, "Friendship is our message."
