Goh Soo Khim
Encyclopedia
Goh Soo Khim is a Singaporean
ballerina
and a highly respected doyen
in Singapore’s dance scene. She is also the co-founder / Artistic Director of Singapore Dance Theatre
, as well as being the elder sister of late ballet maestro Goh Choo San. She is also credited for the development of ballet
in Singapore, and for nurturing many successful dancers under her tutelage, to become successful dancers, soloists and even choreographers over the years.
Goh is born into a family of well-known dancers and teachers, and received her early training at the Singapore Ballet Academy (SBA) under the Academy’s her elder sister Goh Soo Nee (吴素妮), and the other founding directors, Frances Poh and Vernon Martinus. In 1964 Goh furthered her professional training in Australia, as the first Asian to be admitted into the all-white Australian Ballet School
. Returning to Singapore upon her graduation from Australian Ballet School, Goh joined her sister as a principal trainer at the Ballet Academy. She was also a Principal dancer of the Academy, and performed many solo performances. In 1971, Goh assumed the responsibilities of Director and Principal of the Academy. In 1977, Goh represented Singapore in the 2nd ASEAN Radio and Television Cultural Exchange Programme, and in 1978 choreographed the performance Temple Tone Poem. It was her maiden choreography, and in 1980 choreographed again in the Goodbye Again (1980). Her specially commissioned works, Dilemma and Five Emotions, were premiered at the 1982 Singapore Arts Festival.
Goh was appointed Co-Artistic Director by the then Ministry of Culture
in 1984, to nurture the Ballet Group of the National Dance Company. The group performed her specially commissioned ballet, Environmental Phases, which won acclaim for its originality in the 5th ASEAN Festival of Performing Arts in 1985. Goh collaborated with Anthony Then to produce At The Ballet and Ballet Premiere for the Singapore Festival of Arts in 1984 and 1986.
Her first choreography for the SDT was Brahm’s Sentiments, which premiered in the company’s second season. In 1990, she restaged Environmental Phases for SDT in a celebratory concert for Singapore’s 25th Anniversary. More recently, Goh has been actively providing opportunities for dancers to develop their potential as choreographers.She had been invited to adjudicate ballet competitions in Malaysia, Indonesia and is also on the international panel for the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition in Japan since 1991. She became the first Asian representative to be invited as a jury member for the prestigious Benois de la Danse Prix in Moscow in April 2003.
Goh was awarded the prestigious Cultural Medallion in 1981 and the National Day Public Service Medal in 1989 for her outstanding contributions to the development of dance in Singapore. In 2002, she was awarded a Fellowship of LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
and a highly respected doyen
Doyen
Doyen is a surname. The word doyen is derived from the French term for dean, e.g. Dean and Dean ....
in Singapore’s dance scene. She is also the co-founder / Artistic Director of Singapore Dance Theatre
Singapore Dance Theatre
The Singapore Dance Theatre is Singapore's national dance company, founded in 1988 by the late Anthony Then and Goh Soo Khim. It made its debut in June 1988 at the Singapore Festival of The Arts and received its first arts patronage by the then-Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Ong Teng Cheong.Its humble...
, as well as being the elder sister of late ballet maestro Goh Choo San. She is also credited for the development of ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
in Singapore, and for nurturing many successful dancers under her tutelage, to become successful dancers, soloists and even choreographers over the years.
Goh is born into a family of well-known dancers and teachers, and received her early training at the Singapore Ballet Academy (SBA) under the Academy’s her elder sister Goh Soo Nee (吴素妮), and the other founding directors, Frances Poh and Vernon Martinus. In 1964 Goh furthered her professional training in Australia, as the first Asian to be admitted into the all-white Australian Ballet School
Australian Ballet School
The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for The Australian Ballet by Dame Margaret Scott. It is part of the Australian Ballet Centre, which is located in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, Southbank in Melbourne, Victoria...
. Returning to Singapore upon her graduation from Australian Ballet School, Goh joined her sister as a principal trainer at the Ballet Academy. She was also a Principal dancer of the Academy, and performed many solo performances. In 1971, Goh assumed the responsibilities of Director and Principal of the Academy. In 1977, Goh represented Singapore in the 2nd ASEAN Radio and Television Cultural Exchange Programme, and in 1978 choreographed the performance Temple Tone Poem. It was her maiden choreography, and in 1980 choreographed again in the Goodbye Again (1980). Her specially commissioned works, Dilemma and Five Emotions, were premiered at the 1982 Singapore Arts Festival.
Goh was appointed Co-Artistic Director by the then Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts is a ministry of the Government of Singapore...
in 1984, to nurture the Ballet Group of the National Dance Company. The group performed her specially commissioned ballet, Environmental Phases, which won acclaim for its originality in the 5th ASEAN Festival of Performing Arts in 1985. Goh collaborated with Anthony Then to produce At The Ballet and Ballet Premiere for the Singapore Festival of Arts in 1984 and 1986.
Her first choreography for the SDT was Brahm’s Sentiments, which premiered in the company’s second season. In 1990, she restaged Environmental Phases for SDT in a celebratory concert for Singapore’s 25th Anniversary. More recently, Goh has been actively providing opportunities for dancers to develop their potential as choreographers.She had been invited to adjudicate ballet competitions in Malaysia, Indonesia and is also on the international panel for the Asia Pacific Ballet Competition in Japan since 1991. She became the first Asian representative to be invited as a jury member for the prestigious Benois de la Danse Prix in Moscow in April 2003.
Goh was awarded the prestigious Cultural Medallion in 1981 and the National Day Public Service Medal in 1989 for her outstanding contributions to the development of dance in Singapore. In 2002, she was awarded a Fellowship of LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts.
See also
- Goh Choo San