Chan Hon Goh
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Chan Hon Goh, C.M (simplified Chinese: 吴振红; traditional Chinese: 吳振紅, born 1969) is a ballerina based in Canada. Goh was a principal dancer with The National Ballet of Canada before going on to become a published author, director, teacher, executive producer, and entrepreneur.[1]
Early life
[edit]Chan Hon Goh was born in 1969 in Beijing, China. Her parents, Choo Chiat Goh and Lin Yee Goh, were both principal dancers with The National Ballet of China. Her uncle, acclaimed American choreographer Choo San Goh, was Associate Director of the Washington Ballet. In 1976, during the height of political unrest in China, they emigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, where they established the Goh Ballet Academy.[2] In Vancouver, Goh took her first ballet class at age 9. By age 13, she was training in Goh Ballet's Professional Division and went on to perform as part of their Youth Company and at various international competitions. During her time as a student, Goh became the first Canadian to be awarded a prize at The Royal Academy of Dance's Genée International Ballet Competition and the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland.
Career
[edit]Stage career
[edit]Chan Hon Goh began her professional career with The National Ballet of Canada in 1988. She progressed from second soloist in 1990, to first soloist in 1992. And in 1994, Goh became the first ever Principal Dancer of Chinese heritage in the company's history.[3]
During her stage career, Goh danced in lead roles in ballets such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Onegin, and the title roles in Giselle, Madame Butterfly, and La Sylphide. Goh had multiple roles created for her at the National Ballet of Canada. She was chosen to perform in the company's premieres of works by contemporary choreographers John Neumeier, Christopher Wheeldon, and Jirí Kylián, among others.
Goh frequently appeared with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet (Kennedy Center for Performing Arts) and with major ballet companies in Europe, Australia, North America, and Asia. The dancers Goh has partnered with include Vladimir Malakov, Peter Boal and Johan Kolberg.
On May 31, 2009, Chan Hon Goh danced her farewell performance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, with the National Ballet of Canada.[1]
Career off-stage
[edit]In 1996, with her husband Chun Che (also a former Principal Dancer with The National Ballet of China), Goh launched her own shoe brand "Principal by Chan Hon Goh." The company manufactures pointe shoes and dance slippers.[4]
Goh is also a published author. In 2002, her autobiography co-written with Cary Fagan entitled Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina's Life was released by Random House. The book was a finalist for the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction and The Rocky Mountain Book Awards.[citation needed]
In 2010, Goh became the director of the Goh Ballet Academy.[5] In 2019, she opened a second studio location in Toronto, Goh Ballet Bayview. She is also on the board of directors for the Canadian Cancer Society.[6]
Awards and honours
[edit]Goh has earned rewards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal,[7] the YWCA Women of Distinction Award,[citation needed] the New Pioneers Arts Award,[citation needed] and the Best Teacher Award at the World Ballet Competition.[citation needed] In 2019, Goh was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada for her skill in ballet as a principal dancer, artistic director, and cultural ambassador.[8] Goh was recognized as the recipient of an honorary degree from the University of British Columbia for her contributions to society.[9]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Chan Hon Goh | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ Goh, Chan Hon (2002). Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina's Life. Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books. ISBN 978-1-77049-064-2.
- ^ "Goh, Chan Hon 1969- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "Principal by Chan Hon Goh | Chan Hon Goh". Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ ""A Day in the Life" with Chan Hon Goh of Goh Ballet Academy". Toronto Guardian. 2019-08-10. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ cancer, Canadian Cancer Society / Société canadienne du. "Our board of directors". Canadian Cancer Society. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ "Chan Hon Goh - Recognitions | Chan Hon Goh". Retrieved 2025-02-04.
- ^ General, Office of the Secretary to the Governor (2019-06-20). "Governor General Announces 83 New Appointments to the Order of Canada". The Governor General of Canada. Archived from the original on 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "2020 Honorary Degree Recipients | Graduation at UBC". graduation.ubc.ca. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
External links
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