DeniseQuanSm

Denise Quan Mason
Born in New Westminster, B.C., Denise began her dance career at 303 3rd Ave with Josephine Slater. She studied classical ballet at the Royal Academy of Dance in London, England, and went on to become a soloist for the B.C. Ballet Company. In the 1950s, she was featured on such TV programs as Cross Canada Hit Parade and Bamboula and also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. She was Dance Captain in several Broadway touring shows. In 1958, she was part of the dance ensemble when the musical Flower Drum Song opened for a two-year run in New York.

She was the first Canadian to be honoured with the award of Solo Seal of the Royal Academy of Dance. After leaving the stage, she worked as an interior designer for a Manhattan architectural firm. She died on May 16, 2003 at the age of 69.