Sunny Low (Chinese: 刘山尼; pinyin: Liú Shānní; c. 1940 – 8 May 2022) was a Singaporean ballroom dancer and choreographer. The son of a local ballroom dancing pioneer, he began dancing as a teenager and later established his own dance studio.
Sunny Low 刘山尼[1] | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1940 Singapore |
| Died | 8 May 2022 (aged 82) Singapore |
| Education | Outram Secondary School |
| Occupation(s) | Ballroom dancer and Choreographer |
| Spouse |
Aleena Tan (m. 1989) |
| Children | Alvyn Low Melvyn Low Kelvyn Low Jovyn Low |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Tasha Low (granddaughter) |
Early life
editSunny Low was born to Low Poh San, who founded the Poh San Dance Studio in 1937 and is credited with introducing ballroom dancing to Singapore, and his wife Jenny (née Quek).[2] Sunny had six siblings and was the eldest son in the family.[3] He attended Outram Secondary School and began dancing at the age of 14.[4][5]
Career
editLow formally assumed leadership of his father's dance studio in 1955.[6] In September 1957, together with his sister, Betty, Low won the first calypso dance contest in Singapore.[7] A year later, Low and his sister were dubbed the "King and Queen of Cha-Cha-Cha and Rock 'n' Roll" by the International Society of Teachers of Dancing.[8]
In 1967, Low starred in a televised talent show titled Pestarama that was produced by Tony Yeow and broadcast weekly on TV Singapura.[9] The same year, Low briefly worked as a dance choreographer for the Hong Kong television broadcasting company TVB.[10]
In 1969, Low established the Sunny Low Dancers with Aleena Tan as the lead dancer. Low and Tan would then establish the Sunny Low Dance Studio in 1986.[11] Both of them were also founding members of the Singapore Ballroom Dance Teachers Association.[5] The Singapore International Ballroom Dancing Championships, which Low and Tan first organised in 1987, was held annually for 26 years.[12]
Personal life and death
editLow married Aleena Tan (born c. 1955) in 1989.[11] They had four sons: Alvyn, Melvyn, Kelvyn, and Jovyn.[13] Low's father died of a heart attack on 31 December 2003, aged 91.[14] Low himself died of a brain hemorrhage on 8 May 2022, aged 82. He was survived by his wife, three of his four children, seven grandchildren, including singer and actress Tasha Low, and seven great-grandchildren.[2][5]
References
edit- ^ 李亦筠 (12 May 2022). "刘怡伶发文追悼 想念舞王爷爷的拥抱" (in Chinese (Singapore)). 联合早报. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Dancing to your parents' beat". On The Red Dot. 30 November 2019. Channel News Asia. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ Foo, Desmond (24 September 2006). "Dance, baby dance". The Straits Times. p. L10.
- ^ Toh, Ziyi (12 May 2022). "Actress Tasha Low Mourns Passing Of Grandfather, Singapore Ballroom Dancing Legend Sunny Low". 8 Days.
- ^ a b c Chong, Clara (12 May 2022). "Ballroom dancing veteran Sunny Low dies at 82". The Straits Times.
- ^ "Dancing schools are alive and swinging". New Nation. 20 June 1979. p. 10.
- ^ "These Two Calypsoed Their Way to Victory". Singapore Standard. 9 September 1957. p. 3.
- ^ "Sunny's dream come true". The Straits Times. 3 January 1986. p. 7.
- ^ "Pestarama". Eastern Sun. 25 April 1967. p. 12.
- ^ "Local dancer joins HK TV company". Eastern Sun. 11 November 1967. p. 13.
- ^ a b "Dancing queen". The New Paper. 30 January 1997. p. 35.
- ^ Chinnuswamy, Yamini (13 May 2022). "One last dance in tribute to local ballroom legend Sunny Low". The Straits Times.
- ^ "4th-generation dancers". The New Paper. 1 May 2003. p. 13.
- ^ Mohamed Yusof, Zaihan (1 January 2004). "Farewell to a dance legend". The New Paper. p. 11.