Malaysian dancer, ballet advocate and choreographer Lee Lee Lan, considered one of the beloved arts pioneers in the local dance scene, died yesterday (May 16) at the age of 77, according to her son Larry Lee, a spokesperson for the Federal Academy of Ballet.

Born in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, Lee Lee Lan (real name Tan Lee Lan) began dancing actively in the late 1950s when her two older sisters introduced her to ballet.