Excerpt:

"And then came the long plane ride to Canada, during which I slept a good deal. My mother woke me when the meal came, and I saw a strange vegetable that we have never eaten in China. It looked like green cauliflower to us, and only later did I learn that it was called broccoli. On the side was a little package of soy sauce that was so small and pretty I wanted to save it. This was the beginning of so many encounters with newness for me. For the moment we could marvel and these things without yet having to confront the more difficult realities of the new life that lay ahead of us…"

“Chan tells her story in Beyond the Dance with signature delicacy, precision and passion. These are the qualities that imbue her dancing – and dancing is her life.”
-Veronica Tennant, C.C.
Former Principal Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada & Author of:
On Stage Please : McLelland and Stewart/Tundra Books
The Nutcracker Illustrated by Toller Canston : McLelland and Stewart

“Simply written, this is a wonderful book for [Chan Hon Goh’s] many, especially young, admirers and will be an eminently affordable addition to any dancer’s Christmas list.”
–Dance International

“…[Chan’s] autobiography…is equally merry and sweet-tempered…I for one have derived much inspiration from reading this uplifting book.”
–The Asian Wall Street Journal

“This autobiography has a refreshing candour about it…Goh’s account of her life to date is engrossing for any reader, but especially for aspiring dancers.”
–The Globe and Mail

"Ms Goh has given us her story in fascinating detail. Her love of the dance is easy to understand. It is not easy to become a Prima Ballerina, let alone the first one of Chinese descent to attain such a height. Her story is about a dream come true for her and her lucky audiences."
-Maggie Ramirez, Rainboreviews.com

“The book is lavishly illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and balletomanes will enjoy poring over every detail.”
–School Library Journal

“Cary Fagan has crafted an excellent portrait that allows Chan’s voice to shine through. The book will appeal…to young dancers and ballet lovers, but should not be overlooked as an inspiration to a wide range of readers…It is a lovely memoir – like her dancing, it is delicate and passionate – and a revealing story of a remarkable woman.”
–Children’s Book News

“This is a book for anyone interested in reading about an exquisite ballet dancer’s rise to the top. It’s also a book for young dancers interested in reading first hand what it takes to make it as a professional classical dancer…the story is easy to follow for dancers and non-dancers alike.”
–The Gazette [Montreal]

"Ms. Goh's message to ballet students and aspiring dancers is loud and clear: Absolute dedication to the art and strict discipline are essential. The description of her incredibly busy daily routine -- morning class, followed by up to six hours of rehearsal, costume fittings, massage, performances or attending evening events for the company's patrons, all before finally returning home to open the mail and doing the laundry -- alas isn't untypical among dancers."
-Kevin Ng is an Asian correspondent for Dance Magazine and Russia's St. Petersburg Times

“Grade 6 Up-This highly readable autobiography introduces a prima ballerina with the National Ballet of Canada. Goh was born in Beijing but raised in Vancouver by her dancer parents. She discusses the events in her homeland that led her family to emigrate, their adjustment to life in Vancouver, and her parents' struggles to build the Goh Ballet Company. She had amazing successes at international ballet competitions, earned a place with the American Ballet Theatre, but instead decided to accept a position with the National Ballet of Canada, where she quickly rose in the ranks. The tone of the book is overwhelmingly positive, but Goh does discuss some disappointments and hardships. The impression is that she has led somewhat of a charmed life, though it couldn't really have been as easy as it seems. The book is lavishly illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and balletomanes will enjoy poring over every detail.”
-Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Click here to see the Beyond the Dance page on Tundra Books' web site.

Beyond the Dance describes the challenges and obstacles of an immigrant family and a young girl's passion to pursue her love of dance. This book was nominated for the 2005 Rocky Mountain Book Award and the 2003 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction.

Ms Goh wrote Beyond the Dance to foster confidence and encourage young people to pursue their dreams and to believe in themselves. The story develops into how Ms Goh blossomed as an artist and how through her life experiences, she discovered that dance was not just about the steps-but so much more. She felt writing this book would be a wonderful way to reach out to many youths and give them a realistic description of the life of a dancer.

There are photos throughout the book, many of these effectively illustrating the life and art of Ms Goh and also her parents who were talented ballet stars and teachers in China. There is a twelve-page photo gallery in the middle of the book, many of Ms Goh in performance in classical ballets. As such, they have a timeless quality that will ensure that the book will not appear dated for quite some time.

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ISBN Number: 0-88776-596-3