{{Short description|Chinese ballet dancer, choreographer}} {{Infobox person | name = <!-- use common name/article title --> | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1939}}<!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} for living people supply only the year with {{Birth year and age|YYYY}} unless the exact date is already widely published, as per WP:DOB. For people who have died, use {{Birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}}. --> | birth_place = Singapore | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Ballet dancer | years_active = 1960 - | known_for = Goh Ballet Academy | notable_works = }}
'''Choo Chiat Goh''' (born 1939) is a Chinese ballet dancer, choreographer, and the founder of the Goh Ballet Academy, Canada, along with his wife Lin Yee.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-honour-touches-heart-of-goh-ballet-founder-39-years-on |title=Vancouver honour touches heart of Goh Ballet founder 39 years on |publisher=Vancouver Sun |first=Gordon |last=McIntyre |date=2017-10-20 |language=en |access-date=2019-07-01}}</ref>
== Early life == Goh was born in Singapore, into a family of 10 children. His parents were Chinese, and spoke Mandarin. He joined the Royal Ballet School in England at the age of 14, and subsequently trained under dancer and choreographer Pyotr Gusev in China.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/canada-150/canada-150-choo-chiat-goh-left-dancing-in-china-to-build-ballet-in-canada |title=Canada 150: Choo Chiat Goh left dancing in China to build ballet in Canada |date=2017-05-11 |work=Vancouver Sun |access-date=2018-07-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1959, he graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy.<ref name="Vancouver">{{Cite web |url=https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/lifetime-achievement-award.aspx |title=Mayor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement |date=2017-10-02 |website=vancouver.ca |language=en-US |access-date=2019-07-01}}</ref>
== Career == After training, he became a principal dancer at the National Ballet of China. The Cultural Revolution of 1966 - 1976 changed the way ballet was performed in China. He went to Canada to visit his sick mother and remained there, and started the Goh Ballet Academy.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=North Van ballet dancer wins international honours |url=https://www.nsnews.com/local-arts/north-van-ballet-dancer-wins-international-honours-3080339 |access-date=2021-11-24 |website=North Shore News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-03 |title=Langley ballet dancer dishes on role as a chocolate Beso |url=https://www.aldergrovestar.com/entertainment/langley-ballet-dancer-dishes-on-role-as-a-chocolate-beso/ |access-date=2021-11-24 |website=Aldergrove Star |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-12-08 |title=Goh Ballet's Snow Queen prepares for The Nutcracker's winter wonderland |url=https://www.straight.com/article-363375/vancouver/young-dancers-pointe-high-goh-nutcracker |access-date=2021-11-24 |website=The Georgia Straight |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Goh is married to Lin Yee, also a ballet dancer. Their daughter is Chan Hon Goh.<ref name=":0" /> One of Goh's sisters, Soonee Goh, trained at the Royal Ballet School in London and co-founded the Singapore Ballet Academy in Singapore. Another sister, Soo Khim Goh, trained at the Australian Ballet School, and was the co-founder of the Singapore Dance Theatre in 1988.<ref name=":1" />
== Award ==
* 2017 - ''Lifetime Achievement Award'' - by Vancouver Mayor, Gregor Robertson<ref name="Vancouver"/> *2013 - ''Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal'' - by MP Hedy Fry<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.straight.com/arts/344131/two-generations-goh-ballet-family-receive-jubilee-medals |title=Two generations of Goh Ballet family receive Jubilee medals |date=2013-01-17 |website=Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly |language=en |access-date=2019-07-01}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goh, Choo Chiat}} Category:Living people Category:1939 births Category:20th-century Chinese ballet dancers Category:Chinese choreographers Category:Chinese male ballet dancers {{Authority control}}