History

Since 1976, Artistic Director Choo Chiat Goh and Principal Lin Yee Goh have set high standards in all levels of training, ranking the Academy as one of the best professional training schools in the world.

The school offers programs for children and adults, as well as professional full-time, half-day and after school programs and teacher training programs. Students have the opportunity to participate in festivals, competitions, public performances and international performance and study tours.

Students of the Academy have garnered top awards at local and international competitions, including, in the last few years: Genée International (Gold 2005, Silver 2006, Bronze 2004) and Prix de Lausanne (First Place 2004), Varna International (Bronze 2006). Graduates dance with leading companies in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

1976	Mr. Choo Chiat Goh arrives in Vancouver
1977	Mrs. Lin Yee Goh & Chan Hon Goh arrive in Vancouver
1978	Goh Ballet Academy established at the Film Exchange Building, #40, 2182 West 12 th Avenue
1980	Goh Ballet Performing Group established
1981	Premiere performance of excerpts from the Fountain Of Bakhchisarai at Centennial Theatre May 30 & 31, 1981
1982	International Performance – Singapore, sponsored by Hwa Chong Old-Boy’s Association, Spring 1982
1983	September 1, Goh Ballet Academy moves to larger premises at 2214 Main Street, Vancouver, to accommodate increased enrolment and to start up Professional School
1983	Washington Chen, first of a series of guest choreographers to be invited to set his choreography on Goh Ballet dancers for performance at Centennial Theatre in June 1984.
1983	B.C. Festival of the Performing Arts – Amy Ruth, Senior Championship, Marissa Tecson, Senior Runner-up
1983	The legendary Anton Dolin graces the studios with his presence at a class.
1984	Willy Tsao becomes a director of the Goh Ballet
1984	Evelyn Hart and Richard Cragun rehearse at the Goh studios.
1984	B.C. Festival of the Performing Arts – Karina Silverio – Intermediate Championship; Chan Hon Goh runner-up
1985	July 1 st, Goh Ballet moves into new studios in a former historic bank building. Premises have been architecturally renovated by well-known architectural firm, Romses, Kwan & Associates.
1985	Alexander Minz , American Ballet Theatre, invited to be summer school guest teacher.
1985	Choo San Goh , Choreographer, Washington Ballet sets new work, BALLADE, on Vancouver Goh Ballet
1985	Lynn Seymour sets her choreography, Love Is in the Air, on the dancers.
1985	June 24th, Central Ballet of China Dancers, Zhang Dan Dan and Zhu Yao Ping join with the Vancouver Goh Ballet to perform the literary Chinese Classic The Dream Of The Red Chamber which has been made into a ballet.
1985	August, The Vancouver Goh Ballet tour to Beijing to perform The Dream Of The Red Chamber and other ballet works.
1986	B.C. Festival of the Performing Arts – Alice Lau – Junior Championship
1986	Brydon Paige , Artistic Director of Alberta Ballet is summer school guest teacher
1987	The Goh Ballet Academy begins its combined ballet/academic half-day program – the first of its kind in British Columbia.
1987	Vancouver Goh Ballet tour China and South East Asia. The South East Asia portion of the tour is sponsored by Hwa Chong Old Boys’ Association and the Nanyang Girls’ High School Association, Singapore. Betty Farrally, co-founder of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company and Terrance Bland accompany the tour, as does Bill Richardson of the CBC. Due to illness, Betty Farrally takes over as Artistic Director from Mr. Goh.
1987	The Goh Ballet Academy sends to international competition, the Prix de Lausanne, one of its students, Chan Hon Goh, who is a Finalist. This is the first time Goh Ballet gets involved in international competitions.
1987	Chan Hon Goh and Kee Juan Han are awarded the Solo Seal, the highest award conferred by the Royal Academy of Dance.
1988	Chan Hon Goh is awarded a silver medal at the Digital Genée Awards in London, England, the first Canadian ever to win a medal at this prestigious event.
1988	Marquita Lester , Ballet Mistress of Alberta Ballet Company and Jian Rong Sheng are summer school guest teachers.
1989	Nikita Dolgushin , People’s Artist of the USSR, invited to be summer school guest teacher.
1990	Nikita Dolgushin returns, along with Sophia Moiseeva, as summer school guest teachers and stages segments of Sleeping Beauty and Hamlet to be performed at the Victoria International Dance Festival with National Ballet of Canada guest artists Chan Hon Goh and Owen Montague.
1990	Two more Goh Ballet Academy students, Alice and Boyd Lau, enter the IV USA International Competition and win the prize for Best Junior Couple.
1990	Flemming Ryberg of the Royal Danish Ballet is invited to be Summer School teacher and stages La Sylphide.
1990	Students Alice Lau, Boyd Lau, Cameron Smith and Tonia Stefiuk are finalists at the Digital Genée Awards, London, England.
1991	Goh Ballet Students Alice Lau, Boyd Lau and Tonia Stefiuk are awarded R.A.D. Solo Seal.
1991	Goh Ballet Student Erica Trivett is Finalist at the Prix de Lausanne international ballet competition
1992	Digital Genée Awards – students Amanda Daft and Alice Lau are Finalists.
1992	Flemming Ryberg of the Royal Danish Ballet returns as guest teacher for summer school.
1993	Digital Genée Awards – student Kerry Lynn Turner is finalist.
1993	Vladimir Fedjianine is invited as Summer School Guest Teacher.
1994	Vancouver Goh Ballet invited to perform at Recontres Internationale de Danse in La Baule, France – the first Canadian group to be invited to perform in the Festival’s history.
1994	Jia Nian Chen from Shanghai Ballet Academy invited to teach at Summer School.
1994	August, Vancouver Goh Ballet invited to perform at WUDAO ’94 in Beijing.
1994	December, Vancouver Goh Ballet invited to tour People’s Republic of China.
1994	Nozomu Haga , Encouragement Prize Korean International Ballet Competition.
1996	Mei Fang Lin & Jia Nian Chen, Summer School Guest Teachers
1996	Brianne Bland awarded R.A.D. Solo Seal
1997	Brianne Bland is finalist at the Genée Awards, London England
1997	Chan Hon Goh & Chun Che are guest teachers at summer school
1997	Jessica Edgley and Tina Code awarded R.A.D. Solo Seal.
1997	Brianne Bland winner YTV Achievement Award for Dance in Canada
1997	Brianne Bland finalist for Prix Gemini Award (Best Performance in a Variety Program or Series)
1998	Tina Code is finalist at the Genée Awards, London, England.
1998	Goh Ballet Academy celebrates the 20th Anniversary in a joint performance with the Beijing Dance Ensemble at the Vancouver Playhouse. Guests include Chan Hon Goh, Rex Harrington, Johan Persson, Jaime Tapper, Erica Trivett, Boyd Lau, Tonia Stefiuk, Kerry Lynn Turner, Brianne Bland, Dawei He
1998	Chan Hon Goh and Chun Che are guest teachers at summer school
1999	Permission is given by the Balanchine Estate Trust to perform Serenade. Elyse Borne stages the ballet.
1999	Summer School guest teachers are Theresa Jarvis & Johnny Eliasen of the Royal Danish Ballet.
1999	Nozomu Haga & Frances Chung awarded third prize for Pas de Deux at the Japan National Ballet Competition.
1999	Japan Tour , Exchange Performance with the Japan Youth Ballet
1999	Frances Chung , Courtney Lutz and Sarawanee Tanatanit awarded R.A.D. Solo Seal.
2000	Frances Chung – Prizewinner Prix de Lausanne
2000	Frances Chung – Prizewinner Genée Awards
2000	Lazaro Carreno , former Principal with Cuba Ballet, summer school guest teacher
2000	Courtenay Lutz – Semi-Finalist, Varna International Ballet Competition
2001	Sarawanee Tanatanit - Prizewinner Prix de Lausanne
2001	Japan & China Tour
2001	Sarawanee Tanatanit – Finalist Genée Awards
2001	Sarawanee Tanatanit & Frances Chung – Finalists Helsinki International Competition
2001	Mr. & Mrs. Goh presented with the Chinese Cultural Centre Artistic Achievement Award, given to Chinese Canadian Artists who have contributed to the benefit and development of arts in Canada.
2001	Johnny Eliasen & Theresa Jarves are guest artists at summer school.
2002	Christopher Gray awarded R.A.D. Solo Seal
2003	Alpha Ng , Award for Roseta Mauri, Spain
2003	Michelle Sterchi and Alex Wong awarded Solo Seal
2003	Elyse Borne staged Serenade for 25 th Anniversary Performance
2003	Choo Chiat & Lin Yee Goh presented with City of Vancouver Civic Merit Award; ExplorAsian Award and Starwalk Award
2003	25th Anniversary Gala Performance with guest artists Chan Hon Goh, Peter Boal, Rex Harrington, Evelyn Hart, Frances Chung, Brianne Bland, Runqiao Du, Kevin Yee, Amber Funk, Xing Liang
2003	Lazaro Carreno & Chun Che Guest Artists Summer School
2003	Fei Fei Ye , Finalist Asia Pacific International Ballet Competition, Japan
2003	Alex Wong , Bronze Medalist Genée Awards & Audience Appreciation Award
2003	Chinese Cultural Centre sponsors Goh Ballet to perform a complete program at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to commemorate the CCC 30 th Anniversary
2003	Vancouver Goh Ballet perform with Colorado Ballet at the Centre in Vancouver
2003	Madoka Sato , Finalist, NBA Competition, Japan
2003	Alex Wong , First Prizewinner, Prix de Lausanne
2003	Bianca Pizzinato and Jian Guan, conferred Solo Seal Award, Royal Academy of Dance
2004	Vancouver Goh Ballet invited to perform at ExplorAsian Gala Fundraising at the Centre in Vancouver
2004	China Tour ( Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai), May 1 - 15
2004	Evelyn Hart , Chan Hon Goh, Chun Che guest teachers summer school.
2005	Mr. Chun Che guest teacher for school year
2005	Céline Gittens wins Gold Medal at Genée International Awards, the first Gold for the Academy and Canada, plus Audience Appreciation Award
2005	Youth Ballet Company performed at The Centre in Vancouver with the Guangdong Modern Dance Company, attended by dignitaries from BC and China.
2005	Goh Ballet Vancouver Society celebrated 25 th anniversary of supporting the performances of the Goh Ballet Company
2005	Guest Instructor Anna-Marie Holmes staged Jardin Animée and several Pas de Deux’s with Professional Division
2006	We welcomed back former Goh Ballet student Erica Trivett to conduct a series of modern classes and private lessons.
2006	We welcome acclaimed guest instructor and choreographer Gino Berti to a 10-day residency at the Goh Ballet, teaching Jazz master classes and choreographing a new piece for the Year-End Concert.
2006	Céline Gittens is finalist in the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland
2006	Grant Strate and Jean Orr are guest adjudicators for the Goh Ballet Vancouver Society Scholarships, awarding 7 awards, including the inaugural Ian Robertson Memorial Award to Kostya Keshyshev.
2006	30 dancers and 5 staff tour Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai at the invitation of the Chinese Government, showcasing some of the best young dancers in Canada and an unprecedented number of works choreographed by Canadian choreographers.
2006	Artistic Director, Mr. Choo Chiat Goh and Academy Principal, Mrs. Lin Yee Goh awarded the British Columbia Community Achievement Award. Premier Gordon Campbell said of the award, “It is our privilege to recognize the work of the individuals whose efforts and accomplishments help make British Columbia’s communities better places to live. We can all be inspired by their leadership, selflessness and determination.”
2006	The Goh Ballet is proud to add a 19th Solo Seal, earned by Youth Ballet Company student James Stout
2006	Martin Fredmann and Maina Gielgud are guest instructors for the Summer Intensive
2006	Goh Ballet professional Division student Kirsten Wicklund, 16, wins the top prize at the U.S. National Dance Alliance competition in New York City.
2006	Goh Ballet student Kostyantyn Keshyshev wins $10,000 Hnatyshyn Foundation national scholarship.
2006	At the invitation of the Chinese Government, 14 dancers go for Goh Ballet’s second tour of China in 2006. They serve as Canada’s cultural ambassadors at the opening of a major children’s arts complex, the International Children’s Village, in Tianjin. They are chosen to perform in the closing ceremonies – one out of only 4 groups from over 250 (from 47 countries).
2006	Vancouver Goh Ballet student Fei Fei Ye, 18, was announced as the Bronze Medal winner at the Varna International Competition. Kostyantyn Keshyshev and James Stout are semi-finalists.
2006	Goh ballet students Kostyantyn Keshyshev and Fei Fei Ye both won silver medals at the 2006 Genée International Ballet Competition. James Stout was a finalist.
2006	Youth Ballet Ensemble performs The Nutcracker at Millennium Place in Whistler as part of Tourism Whister’s “A Whistler Christmas.”
2007	James Amar comes as a guest artist to set the full ballet Giselle, and a suite from Don Quixote
2007	The June performance features new works by Canadian dance icon Eddy Toussaint and Vancouver jazz choreographer Rachael Poirier
2007	Kirsten Wicklund takes home the Mary Day Award and places in the top-12 at the Youth America Grand Prix , Miguel Nguyen, Alyssa Stevens, Melissa Ong and Stephanie Pedlow are all semi-finalists.
2007	Alyssa Stevens is the 20th Goh Ballet student to receive the Royal Academy of Dance’s Solo Seal
2007	James Amar and Nikolay Levitskiy are guest artists for the Summer Intensive
2007	Permission is given by the Balanchine Estate Trust to perform Valse Fantasy. Ben Huys to stage the ballet.
2007	Goh Ballet student Alyssa Steven wins $10,000 Hnatyshyn Foundation national scholarship, the second year in a row that the award has gone to a Goh Ballet student.