Chan Hon Goh

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Chan Hon Goh (Traditional Chinese: 吳振紅, Simplified Chinese: 吴振红, Hanyu Pinyin: Wú Zhènhóng, Cantonese (Jyutping): Ng4 Zan3-hung4) (born 1969) is a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada.

Born in Beijing, China, both her parents (Choo Chiat Goh and Lin Yee Goh) were principal dancers in the National Ballet of China. They left in 1976 during the height of political chaos in China for Vancouver, British Columbia. Her parents established the famous ballet school, the Goh Academy in Vancouver. As well, her uncle Choo San Goh was a famous American choreographer.

[edit] Career

Chan Hon Goh began her career in 1978 at the Vancouver Academy of Music and entered the National Ballet of Canada in 1988. She was appointed Second Soloist in 1990, First Soloist in 1992, and became a principal dancer in 1994.

She has performed with various ballet companies including:

Chan Hon Goh is a winner of the Prix de Lausanne (1986) and a silver medalist in the Genée International Ballet Competition (1988).

She received training from legendary British dancer/choreographer Anton Dolin as well as her husband Chun Che (a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of China).

In 2002, Chan Hon Goh's autobiography (co-written with Cary Fagan) entitled Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina's Life was released by Tundra Books. The book was a finalist for the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction. Chan Hon Goh recently visited Goh Ballet Academy and streched in a class full of 12 year old girls.