BIBLIOASIA JAN – MAR 2017 Vol. 12 / Issue 04 / Feature Dancers by Night, Benefactors by Day wasn’t just the “Queen of Striptease” who school Happy Charity School, in an obvious titillated men on stage; she was equally nod to the most popular landmark in Geylang People whom I spoke to about the cabaret generous in donating to various charities then – the Happy World amusement park.4 life would mention how the “lancing girls” that cared for children, old folks, tuber- The first principal of the school was were the main draw for the men. For as little culosis patients and the blind. Wong Guo Liang, a well-known calligrapher. as a dollar for a set of three dance coupons, Rose Chan wasn't the only “charity When Wong first met Madam He at the male customers could take the girl of their queen” from the cabaret world. There were interview for the position, he remembered choice for a spin on the dance floor. But, two other women from the Happy World being struck by her charisma and generos- invariably, the discussion would turn to the cabaret who worked tirelessly to start a free ity. Despite the irony of her situation, she most famous “lancing” girl of all time: Rose school for children. These women became advised him to set a good example as the Chan, a former beauty queen and striptease the founders of the Happy School in Geylang. principal and live up to the responsibility of dancer who joined Happy World Cabaret in being a role model for his charges. More 1942. When asked what was it about Chan A Happy School for Children importantly, he should never ever step into that was so memorable, many would say the Happy World Cabaret. it was her audacity to strip completely on In 1946, cabaret girls from Happy World Madam He related how her impover- stage, or to shock audiences by wrestling answered the call by one of its “big sisters”, ished past and the lost opportunity to be with a live python in her acts. Madam He Yan Na, to donate money to set educated made her even more determined Not many people were aware that up a Chinese medium school in Singapore. to help destitute children. She was unshak- Chan, like other “lancing” girls of that era, Madam He, the chairperson of the Happy able in her view that a good education was was involved in charity work. Perhaps it World Dance Troupe (which later became the key to a better life.5 was an attempt to salvage some measure the Happy Opera Society), was deeply In an interview published in the Chi- of self-respect or to assuage a sense of troubled by the large number of idle chil- nese daily Nanyang Siang Pau, Madam He guilt, or maybe it was borne out of genuine dren roaming the streets of Geylang. These was painfully aware of how society looked Beneath the sympathy for the destitute as many of the were the unfortunate children who had down on women like her: “The profes- cabaret girls themselves came from poor or their education interrupted by World War II. sion of dancing girls is seen as inferior. If dysfunctional families. A pretty face and a Madam He roped in her fellow dance society can abandon its prejudice and be comely figure was all that women like Chan hostesses to set up the school. She became rational, they would understand that they could claim. But with the money they earned the chairperson of the school’s board of have misunderstood the art of dancing. and in the cabaret, they could make the lives of governors, while another dancer, Madam They are being cruel to cabaret girls due GLITZ the downtrodden slightly better. Xu Qian Hong, took on the role of accounts to their ignorance. If dancing is corrupted, On 27 August 1953,The Singapore head. Other girls from the Happy Opera then this negative image comes not from Free Press newspaper reported that the Society became board members. princely sum of $13,000 had been raised by Determined that the children should GLAMOUR the Singapore Dance Hostesses’ Associa- receive a free education, Madam He insisted tion in aid of the Nanyang University build- that no school fees would be collected from ing fund.3 This feat was achieved through the families. Whatever books and stationery several charity night performances that the children needed were also given free. The Untold Story of The "Lancing" Girls had been staged at various cabarets. The first enrolment in 1946 attracted about Unbeknown to many, Chan was part of 90 students. Operating out of a rented shop- These cabaret girls were better known for their risqué the efforts to help raise this money. She house at Lorong 14, Madam He named the stage shows, but some also donated generously to charity. (Facing page) A photo of five dance hostesses taken inside a cabaret in the 1930s. The women are dressed in Adeline Foo uncovers these women with hearts of gold. figure-huggingcheongsams with daring side slits that showed off their legs. They were an obvious attraction for men with their artfully applied makeup and coiffured hair-dos. Courtesy of Mr and Mrs Lee Kip Lee. (Right) The most famous “lancing” girl of all time was Rose Chan, a former beauty queen and striptease dancer, who joined the Happy World Cabaret in 1942. She was known for her daring moves on stage that Who were the so-called “lancing” girls The parks were a huge part of people’s included wrestling with a slithering python. All rights reserved, Rajendra, C. (2013). No Bed of Roses: The Rose Chan Story. Singapore Marshall Cavendish. 1 of yesteryear? They were the glamorous lives, and offered something for everyone (Below) Eurasian and Chinese dance hostesses of the New World Cabaret posing for this photo in the wdance hostesses from the cabarets of the in the family. In its heyday, some 50,000 1930s. Courtesy of Mr and Mrs Lee Kip Lee. “Big Three” worlds of entertainment in people could easily throng an amusement Singapore – New World, Great World and park in a single night.2 Happy World (later renamed Gay World) – By the late 1960s, however, as televi- who made a living from “lancing”, a local sion and other forms of entertainment mispronunciation of “dancing”. such as shopping malls, cinemas and From the 1920s to 60s, the “Big bowling alleys became more widespread Three” amusement parks grew in tandem in Singapore, these amusement parks Adeline Foo, an adjunct lecturer at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, is the author of The Diary with Singapore’s development, rising from went out of business. The New World site of Amos Lee series of children’s books. She humble wooden shacks and makeshift at Jalan Besar is occupied today by City is currently completing her first non-fiction kiosks to sophisticated playgrounds Square Mall, while the Great World site book, tracing the lives of women who worked offering restaurants, cinemas, cabarets, along Kim Seng Road was redeveloped into in the cabarets in Singapore between the orchestras and carnival rides as well as the sprawling Great World City shopping 1930s and 60s. Her book titled The 'Lancing entertainment such as Malay bangsawan, mall and residences. The Gay World site Girls' of a Happy World, published by Ethos Chinese opera, boxing matches, circus in Geylang has been zoned for residential Books, will be released in March 2017. acts and Western-style vaudeville shows. projects and is presently unoccupied. 02 03 BIBLIOASIA JAN – MAR 2017 Vol. 12 / Issue 04 / Feature ognised as the de facto working language, office secretary or a private tutor. But many of trousers in the same material. By the Madam Ong eventually left the cabaret more and more parents decided to send their of these jobs didn’t pay as well as that of a 1930s, however, wealthy Chinese women in three years later to get married. I asked children to English stream schools. Dwin- cabaret girl. So if a woman was good look- the upper social classes had turned to the her if she missed the glitzy world, she said dling student numbers at Chinese medium ing and money was a motivation, dancing cheongsam (which means “long dress” in no: "We were poor, I had little education, schools islandwide eventually sounded the in the cabarets provided a means to quick Cantonese), also known as qipao in Man- my mother was also a cabaret girl. It was death knell for the Happy School. and easy money. A cabaret girl could earn darin, as their preferred dress. a good job that paid well. It was something In 1979, Happy School announced anything between $200 and $1,000 a month. This adoption of the cheongsam soon I would never forget."17 its closure. By that time, the school had In comparison, a senior clerk working in cut across all segments of the Chinese Johnny Chia, in his 60s, a former amassed some $400,000 in savings, which the government back in 1952 would only population, with the elegant and form-fitting singer at the Happy World Cabaret whom the board donated to 10 Chinese schools and earn $280 a month.16 Clearly, some women dress worn as a symbol of strong feminine I interviewed, recalled the cabaret girls grassroots organisations.13 After 33 years, chose to work in the cabaret as dancing girls expression. The cabaret girls were no dif- he had known and respected: “They were another chapter was closed in the history because it paid well and few employment ferent.