Early Life

Lee Lee Lan, born Tan Lee Lan, was born in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, on 16 September 1944, to Tan Tuan Boon, court interpreter and Mayor of Melaka, and Soo Kuo Hsiang, a school teacher. She was the fifth of six children: Tan Lee Lee a pastor, Tan Wee Kiat, Tan Lee Lian, Tan Yee Beng a doctor and Tan Lee Ling a nurse. Their family was of Burmese, and Chinese heritage.

In the early fifties, Lee Lan took ballet classes from dance academics Soonee Goh and Blossom Shek. She later went under the guidance and tutelage of British RAD ballet instructor Ethel Foxcroft at Le CoqDor Mansion, Jalan Ampang. In 1957, Lee's family had to relocate from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka due to her father's political career. Lee feared that she would have to give - up ballet classes as there were no ballet teachers in Melaka.

“With no other option in sight, I had to tell my ballet teacher, Mrs Foxcroft, that I could not continue learning ballet. The answer I received from Mrs Foxcroft was not what I expected. After I said that I could not afford the hefty fare of travelling to and from Kuala Lumpur every weekend for lessons, Mrs Foxcroft offered free lessons,” Lee was quoted as saying in an interview with The Star in June, 2009.
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From then on, Lee spent each weekend for three years at Foxcroft's dance courses, communting between Melaka and Kuala Lumpur - a three hour bus ride to and from.

"I shall be forever grateful to Mrs Foxcroft for this opportunity."

In 1958, Form 3 in secondary school, Lee prepared a solo performance for her mother's (school she taught) and sister's school, Siang Lin Primary School for a fund raising concert. This was the first time Melaka bore witness to a live ballet performance.

Despite her hectic schedule, Lee was still able to score all 7 distinctions in her lower certificate examination. Lee's continued dedication and resilience landed her a spot in Malaysia's oldest and highest ranking institution, University of Malaya. In 1968, Lee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History.

Lee later went on to study and gain the Advanced Teacher's Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance (London) in 1974, becoming an ISTD Imperial Examinar in 1985, a Modern Examiner in 1992 and a Tap Associate since 1987.