Lee Lee Lan
Lee Lee Lan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tan Lee Lan 16 September 1944 Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Died | 16 May 2022 (aged 77) Malaysia |
| Alma mater | University of Malaya |
| Employer(s) | Federal Academy of Ballet Kuala Lumpur Dance Theatre Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing |
| Organization(s) | Dance Society of Malaysia Royal Academy of Dance World Dance Alliance International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts |
| Awards | BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement Award (2008) |
Lee Lee Lan (16 September 1944 – 16 May 2022), real name Tan Lee Lan, was a Malaysian ballet dancer and choreographer. She founded the Federal Academy of Ballet, Kuala Lumpur Dance Theatre and the Dance Society of Malaysia.
Biography
Lee was born on 16 September 1944 in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[1][2] Her birth name was Tan Lee Lan[3] and she was the fifth child of six children of Burmese and Chinese heritage.[4]
Lee was introduced to ballet by two older sisters,[1] and trained in classical ballet.[5][6] She studied under instructors Soonee Goh, Blossom Shek and Ethel Foxcroft.[7] Foxcroft offered Lee a full scholarship to her school in Kuala Lumpur after the family moved to Melaka in 1957. She travelled three hours by bus to attend her lessons.[8]
Lee taught ballet part-time as a university student[7][9] and graduated from the University of Malaya with a degree in Economics and History.[4][10] As a student she also choreographed for musical productions including West Side Story, Flower Drum Song, Porgy and Bess and Show Boat.[7][8]
In 1967, Lee founded the Federal Academy of Ballet (FAB) in Malaysia.[9][10][11] Malaysian dancers and instructors who trained at FAB include Joseph Victor Gonzales, Vicknendran Siva Lingham, David Lee and Andrew Pan.[9] The Academy is the largest ballet school in Malaysia.[12][13] Alongside teaching, Lee choreographed and danced for Malaysian TV,[4] such as Antara Empat Kaum.[7][8]
Lee was internationally known, and was appointed to the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD), based in London, England, as their first Asian examiner for Ballet, Modern and Tap dance.[9] In 1971, Lee passed the advanced executant exam of the Royal Academy of Dance in London, and was appointed an associate member.[12] She also performed in Ninette De Valois' Checkmate while in London.[7]
Lee served as vice president of the World Dance Alliance, was on the committee of the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF, partnered with UNESCO),[4] and taught at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York, New York, United States.[2][3]
In 1981, Lee created the two-act ballet Soraya, which premiered with accompaniment from the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. The work included Malaysian cultural references, such as to ghost orang minyak, and incorporated traditional Malay dance forms, Chinese dances, and Indian dances. The following year the piece was performed for Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang at the at the newly built Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur during a Red Crescent Society charity event.[4][8] Another of Lee's choreographic works, See Not, Hear Not, Speak Not, won the Saitama Choreographic Competition in Tokyo, Japan.[8]
In 1984, Lee formed the Kuala Lumpur Dance Theatre (KLDT) with Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing.[8] They took ten dancers to Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, to teach and perform traditional Malay dance in America.[14] In 1986, Lee founded the Dance Society of Malaysia.[9]
In 1999, Lee choreographed Dance Classique, one of the works produced to launch the Istana Budaya national arts venue in Kuala Lumpur.[7]
In 2008, Lee was honoured with the BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement Award.[8]
Lee died on 16 May 2022, aged 77.[1] Her son Larry Lee became president of the Federal Academy of Ballet (FAB).[9]
References
- ^ a b c "Lee Lee Lan, celebrated Malaysian dancer and choreographer, dies aged 77". The Star. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b "Our Principal - Lee Lee Lan". FEDERAL ACADEMY OF BALLET, CENTRE FOR CREATIVE ARTS. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b "A tribute to celebrated Malaysian dancer and ballet advocate Lee Lee Lan". The Edge Malaysia. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d e World Dance Day Online Festival (28 April 2025). MOVE 2025 - Legacy - Lee Lee Lan, Malaysia's First Ballet Lady. Retrieved 15 November 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ Abdullah, Nurul Farhana Low; Pakri, Mohamad Rashidi (2013). Retracing Tradition for a Sustainable Future: The Malaysian Experience (Penerbit USM). Penerbit USM. ISBN 978-983-861-690-4.
- ^ Koh, Jaime; Ho, Stephanie (22 June 2009). Culture and Customs of Singapore and Malaysia. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-313-35116-7.
- ^ a b c d e f Goh, Daryl (20 May 2022). "A visionary dancer, nurturer". The Star Malaysia. Retrieved 15 November 2025 – via PressReader.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients". Kakiseni.org. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Meet Lee Lee Lan, one of Malaysia's most prominent ballet pioneers that made me fall in love with dance". Wau Post. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b Diversity in Motion. MyDance Alliance, Cultural Centre, University of Malaya. 2003. p. 48. ISBN 978-983-2085-58-4.
- ^ Liu, Siyuan (5 February 2016). Routledge Handbook of Asian Theatre. Routledge. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-317-27886-3.
- ^ a b "#4 People – Ms Lee Lee Lan – Dance Body Project". Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Dairianathan, Eugene (1997). Asian Music and Dance: Educational Perspectives : a Collection of Papers Given at the Asian Music and Dance Conference in Education in Singapore, March 16-19, 1997. National Institute of Education. p. 4. ISBN 978-981-04-1608-9.
- ^ Rendezvous: Idaho State University Journal of Arts and Letters. Idaho State University. 2000. p. 73.