Chinese Canadian dance pioneer Lorita Leung dead at 85
Social Sharing
A celebration of life was held Saturday for Lorita Leung, who died on March 5 at the age of 85 and was considered a towering figure in the field of Chinese dance in Canada.
Leung's eponymous dance academy was founded in Vancouver in 1970, and is now based in Richmond. Her daughter Jessica Jone said it was the first of its kind in B.C. and Canada.
The dance instructor was born in Shanghai in 1940, and her daughter said her mother always grew up wanting to dance. She spent time in Hong Kong working as a choreographer for a TV station in the 1960s before coming to B.C. to be with her Vancouver-born husband.
Jone, who is now the dance academy's artistic director, said it grew from humble beginnings. Her mother began the academy out of her Chinatown basement while she was teaching at Good Shepherd Church in Vancouver.
"She really was the first to bring Chinese dance to our province," Jone told CBC News.
"Now, of course, we're blessed with so many students and different opportunities for Chinese dance, but really, when she started in 1970, there was very little known about the art form and the culture."
According to the academy's website, it was the first overseas Chinese dance group to be invited to perform in the People's Republic in 1984, and has had numerous performances across Canada.
Leung was given the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992, and was also recognized by the Vancouver Park Board for her contributions to the arts in 2012.
Jone said over 200 people attended her mother's celebration of life on Saturday, many of whom were students she hadn't seen for decades.
"It was so heartwarming to hear about how people were telling me that she would feed them and, you know, friends telling me that she had cooked for them when they were sick or they had just had a baby," she said.
"She wasn't just a dance teacher. She really was a very humanistic, kind and great leader."
Jone said her mother mentored her in dance since she was two years old, and some of her fondest memories were of working with her mother and father Norm on shows across Vancouver.
"I remember the Kitsilano Showboat being one of our big performances every summer," she said.
"Just to have my mom backstage and me on stage and my father as MC — it was just an incredible way to grow up, and to share that as a family."
Jone said her mother died peacefully in her sleep. She is survived by a grandson and her daughter and son-in-law — both of whom now hope to carry on her legacy at the dance academy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Member of symphony orchestra needs new oboe to resume career after accidental fire
LONG RIVER – A member of Prince Edward Island's symphony orchestra has suffered a career setback after an accidental fire destroyed his home and an extensive collection of musical instruments. Oboist Marc DesRoches said he was trying to dispose of some sensitive papers by burning them in a stainless steel sink outside the home he and his partner once occupied in New London, P.E.I. DesRoches speculates a small leaflet may have blown free amid the windy conditions prevailing on June 2, as shortly after he returned inside to his piano, he realized his deck was on fire. The blaze spread to the home and destroyed two oboes, an English horn that was still being paid off, three pianos and a large collection of other woodwind and brass instruments, including his grandfather's tuba. Other lost treasures include a pair of Chinese vases his partner Glen Gamble has had in his family since the 19th century, as well as the couple's orange cat Tchaikovsky, who they hope has simply wandered off and is still alive. DesRoches said he's hoping to replace at least one oboe and the English horn so he can continue to perform with the orchestra. 'I feel like playing with the symphony is going to be one of the most healing things for me,' he said. Scott Mintie, chief of the New London fire department, said 25 firefighters responded to the call. Crews found a single family home engulfed in flames on arrival and the one person at home was able to get out safely, he said in a statement. 'There were high winds from the south-southwest, estimated about 35 km-h, which did contribute to the rapid spread of the fire. The vehicle in the driveway sustained some damage,' he said. 'Small spot fires caused by blowing embers were quickly extinguished by the crews.' The fire is a 'strong' reminder that emergencies can escalate quickly in windy conditions, Mintie said. 'Situations like today show that seconds do matter. The occupant's ability to exit quickly most likely prevented a far more tragic outcome.' DesRoches said the first thing he did as soon as he saw the blaze was pull out the fire extinguisher from the garage to get the blaze under control. But the fire was spreading, and he could soon feel the flames on his face. 'I ran back to the front of the house because the fire was at the very back, and I just peeked my head in the door to get eyes on the two spots that my cat is usually sitting,' he said, his voice cracking with emotion. 'Unfortunately, I didn't see her, so I couldn't grab her before I ran.' The orange cat, Tchaikovsky, also answers to 'Tchai,' said DesRoches, adding he's had the tabby for about 10 years, since she was a kitten. DesRoches said the couple had insurance for their home, but not enough to cover the cost of replacement instruments. They have started a crowdfunding campaign and hope donations will help them pay for replacements. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2025.
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
Jericho Pier reopens more than 3 years after storm decimated structure
Social Sharing The Vancouver Park Board announced Friday that the 83-year-old wooden pier at Jericho Beach has been reopened after extensive repair and restoration work. Jericho Beach Park's pier had been heavily damaged by strong winds and high tides in November 2021 and January 2022, and was closed soon after. In September 2023, park board staff released a report recommending the removal of the pier, saying a rebuilt pier would risk being damaged again, due extreme climate events. It also said that its removal would be an opportunity for reconciliation with local First Nations. However, the elected park board voted instead to conduct a like-for-like repair on the pier, which was first built in 1942. At the time, the like-for-like repair was estimated to cost $1.7 million, but an insurance claim from the damage would mean the city only had to pay $350,000. The greatest financial barrier for a like-for-like repair, according to the staff report, would be the maintenance costs of inspecting the pier each year and, in case of damage, repairing it. Staff estimated that would take between $100,000 and $2.35 million annually. "This vulnerability is forecast to increase in light of climate change effects," said the staff report about expected sea level rise and an increase in the frequency of storm surges. "The useful life of a like-for-like repair may very well be shortened by these continued storm events." The pier at Jericho Beach, on Vancouver's Westside, was a popular place to fish and take in views over the Burrard Inlet and the downtown skyline, as well as a place for marine rescue vessels to dock. Park board commissioners cited its nostalgic value, as a place for families to gather over the years, in approving the repair option, but said they were not ruling out an eventual complete rebuild of the pier. The park board said in a Friday social media post that a new float would be installed at the pier by the end of June. It said temporary fencing would remain around the pier this weekend due to the Vancouver T100 triathlon world tour race happening at the beach.
Japan Forward
a day ago
- Japan Forward
Chinese Military Jets Make Aggressive Passes Near Japan
このページを 日本語 で読む At a press conference on June 12, General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of the Joint Staff of Japan's Self-Defense Forces, addressed the aggressive actions of Chinese military aircraft. He described the behavior as deliberate, noting, "They followed us for 40 minutes, then 80 minutes — and it happened two days in a row." Chinese J-15 fighter jets, launched from the aircraft carrier Shandong , approached Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) P-3C patrol aircraft at dangerously close range on two consecutive days. The Shandong had advanced to waters near Japan's Okinotorishima, more than 1,500 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. According to the Ministry of Defense (MOD), the first close encounter occurred on June 7. A lone J-15 tailed Japan's P-3C for approximately 40 minutes, repeatedly veering side to side as it approached and retreated, eventually closing to within just 45 meters on the aircraft's left side. On June 8, a second J-15 tailed a Japanese P-3C for roughly 80 minutes, coming as close as 45 meters on the aircraft's right side. As it disengaged, the jet crossed in front of the patrol plane at the same altitude, just 900 meters ahead. That day, another Chinese fighter also joined the pursuit. Describing the 45-meter proximity, a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) pilot said it felt like "a total stranger walking shoulder to shoulder with you — close enough to break a cold sweat." At the time, China had deployed two aircraft carriers to the western Pacific simultaneously for the first time. Reflecting on the maneuver, one ASDF official remarked, "It was as if they were declaring, 'This is China's airspace.'" Frontal crossings like the one on June 8 are especially dangerous, as wake turbulence can trigger engine malfunctions. Japan's P-3C was conducting surveillance on five vessels, including the Shandong . According to reports, the JMSDF aircraft attempted to communicate via radio, asserting that it was "conducting legitimate mission flights in international airspace." While the MOD has not released the full details of the exchange, it stated that a safe distance was maintained from the Shandong . Chinese military aircraft have repeatedly carried out provocative maneuvers against the United States and other allied forces in recent years. In February, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet closed to within just 30 meters of an Australian P-8A patrol aircraft over the South China Sea and released infrared countermeasure flares designed to evade missiles. According to a 2023 announcement by the US Department of Defense, Chinese aircraft were involved in more than 180 abnormal close encounters over the previous two years. These included incidents where jets flew close enough for crew members' faces to be seen or crossed directly in front of US aircraft at dangerously close range. Around the same time, another Chinese aircraft carrier, the Liaoning , crossed the Second Island Chain — a key US defense perimeter — for the first time. This time, with both Chinese carriers operating simultaneously in the western Pacific, Professor Tetsuo Kotani of Meikai University, a security policy expert, offered this analysis: "This seems to be China's way of sending a warning: 'Don't interfere with our legitimate training in this newly entered area.' It also reflects growing confidence as China continues to strengthen its carrier strike group operations." Author: Toyohiro Ichioka, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
