Ballet pioneer and respected teacher Oh Eng Sim, died over a week ago in Penang and has left a legacy of generosity, discipline, kindness and community service.

Miss Oh as she was known among her ballet students at the Oh Eng Sim School of Dancing, had always cut a tall and elegant figure in cheongsams when she was not teaching, and instilled many good traits in her students who had turned up to pay their last respects. Some of these students and friends were also a part of her life once she retired and went to a nursing home.

Dance teachers have always been known to give, give and give, by sharing their knowledge, passion and joy.

Apart from the gratitude felt by her former students whom Oh had spent hours with at her school showing them steps, coaching them to be better and instilling valuable life lessons, a whole community is also mourning her passing.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Penang owes her a sea of appreciation for her generosity for one of its parish projects.

She was the most substantial donor of the church’s multi-million parish centre, whose hall is named after her.

“Because of her, we were able to kickstart the project and build the centre,” former parish priest Father Michael Cheah said when presiding over her funeral mass last Saturday.

“She lived her life well, by contributing to society as a good parishioner and daughter of God.

“She deserves her reward in heaven and may very well open up a ballet school up there for the angels,” he said during his homily.

Mindful of the fact that Oh had spent over a decade of her life in a nursing home before her passing, Fr Cheah added:

“She has shown us how to leave this world happily and with a peaceful exit.”

Which now begs the question of how the rest of us wish to be remembered when our time comes, and the kind of footprints we will leave behind.

In a Facebook post, Malaysian choreographer Joseph Victor Gonzales, who described Oh as a Malaysian pioneer and legendary ballet teacher and choreographer, said:

“Thank you for everything and the generations you taught. Malaysia was blessed. Rest in peace Ms Oh.”

Ends.