A pioneer in the arts world, Goh Soo Khim's love for dance continues
By
Grace Chua
'We felt she had established an institution, and was a pioneer and doyenne in the dance world,' she said, noting that Ms Goh had put in 20 years of 'dedication, commitment and hardship'.
NOW that former Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) director Goh Soo Khim, 65, is retired, her days are spent taking morning walks, doing qigong at the Botanic Gardens, gardening and reading.
In her earlier years, life was more of a whirl: She went from being a prima ballerina to the director of the Singapore Ballet Academy to setting up the SDT as the national dance company with the now-late Anthony Then.
The SDT was to go on to attract ballet and dance talent from all over the world and nurture choreographers like Jeffrey Tan and Kuik Swee Boon.
But Ms Goh has not yet taken a final curtain call: Although she is no longer SDT's director, she is still involved in its programmes and will sit on the jury of the prestigious Genee International Ballet Competition here in September.
For putting Singapore on the world performing arts map, she was yesterday presented with the Her World Woman of the Year award for 2008.
Hotelier Jennie Chua, one of the judges for this year's awards, said the panel was unanimous about giving her the award.
'We felt she had established an institution, and was a pioneer and doyenne in the dance world,' she said, noting that Ms Goh had put in 20 years of 'dedication, commitment and hardship'.
Ms Chua said that when Ms Goh set up the SDT, few outlets for dance talent existed here, and many dancers felt that the arts were getting little support.
When the SDT came along, it became a platform to retain and nurture talent, and served as an inspiration to the arts scene here.
Dance is in Ms Goh's blood.
The first Asian student at the Australian Ballet School in 1964, she is from a family of dancers. Her siblings include the late, world-renowned choreographer Goh Choo San and Goh Soo Nee, 74, the co-founder of the Singapore Ballet Academy. Her niece Chan Hon Goh, 37, is a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada.
Read the full story in today's edition of The Straits Times.
