1459: "The Woman Who Danced Between Two Worlds"

HistoryPodcast
Written By JC

Interesting Things with JC #1459: "The Woman Who Danced Between Two Worlds" – She didn’t ask to belong. She proved she did. King Lan Chew stepped into history not by force, but by grace and grit. A Chinese-American woman who danced her way through barriers, on her own terms.

Curriculum - Episode Anchor

Episode Title: The Woman Who Danced Between Two Worlds
Episode Number: #1459
Host: JC
Audience: Grades 9–12, college intro, homeschool, lifelong learners
Subject Area: U.S. History, Performing Arts, Ethnic Studies, Women's Studies

Lesson Overview
Students will:

  • Define how King Lan Chew’s identity as a Chinese-American performer shaped her public reception.

  • Compare cultural and gender expectations in early 20th-century America using King Lan Chew’s career as a case study.

  • Analyze the role of performance art in challenging racial and social stereotypes.

  • Explain how individual stories reflect broader cultural and historical movements.

Key Vocabulary

  • Presbyterian (prez-buh-TEER-ee-uhn) — A Protestant Christian denomination. King Lan Chew’s father was a Presbyterian minister who used faith and journalism to advocate for civil rights.

  • Concert dancer (KON-surt DAN-sur) — A professional who performs choreographed dances in formal venues; King Lan Chew was billed as the only Chinese concert dancer in America during the 1920s and 30s.

  • Caricature (KAIR-ih-kuh-cher) — An exaggerated or oversimplified portrayal. Chew avoided caricatures in her performances, instead showcasing authentic movement.

  • Assimilation (uh-SIM-uh-LAY-shun) — The process of adapting or integrating into another culture. King Lan Chew's performances subtly questioned the need for full assimilation.

  • Barrier-breaking (BAIR-ee-ur BRAY-king) — Challenging social, racial, or cultural boundaries. King Lan Chew did this through performance rather than protest.

Narrative Core (Based on the PSF – renamed labels)

  • Open: Introduces King Lan Chew as a woman who made history not through confrontation but by embodying change.

  • Info: Provides her family background, early education, and her father’s activist and journalistic influence.

  • Details: Describes her academic achievements and groundbreaking national dance tours as a Chinese-American woman in the early 20th century.

  • Reflection: Highlights how she challenged perceptions by simply existing and excelling in spaces not designed for her.

  • Closing: "These are interesting things, with JC."

Black-and-white stylized photograph of King Lan Chew (Chew Chee-ong-Lahn), a Chinese-American dancer, mid-movement in flowing sleeves. She faces slightly downward with a calm expression, her hair styled in soft waves. The background shows brush-stroke patterns suggesting cranes, reeds, and water, giving the scene a stage-performance feel. Text above the image reads: “The Woman Who Danced Between Two Worlds – Interesting Things with JC #1459.”

Transcript
Some folks change things by arguing for change. Others do it by showing up and proving they belong. King Lan Chew (Chew Chee-ong-Lahn) did that. She was born November 4, 1901, in Berkeley, California, to Chinese-American parents at a time when the country wasn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat for families like hers.

Her Cantonese name was Chew Qiōng-lán (Chew Chee-ong-Lahn). Her dad, Ng Poon Chew (Ung Poon Chew), ran a newspaper and served as a Presbyterian minister. If you’d walked past his print shop, you'd smell hot ink and hear the type press hammering away. He fought for Chinese-American rights using words and the pulpit, and he expected his kids to stand tall, work hard, and be educated.

King Lan Chew took that seriously. She finished Oakland High School in 1921, then earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mills College by 1926. That alone was rare for a woman back then, and almost unheard of for a Chinese-American woman.

But instead of a academic path, she chose the stage. Dance wasn’t some sideline hobby for her. In the late 1920s and 1930s, she toured across the United States and was billed in newspapers as “the only Chinese concert dancer in America.” That’s how promoters described her, and it tells you how unusual her path was.

Picture a town hall or small theater in the Midwest back then. Wood floors, simple lights, folding chairs, folks filing in after supper. Then she steps out in silk sleeves she designed herself. She moved with discipline and purpose, blending movement rooted in Chinese tradition with American modern dance she studied and practiced. No gimmicks. No caricatures. Just solid work and skill on display.

A lot of people in those audiences had never seen a Chinese-American woman perform on a stage like that, especially not as the headliner. And instead of explaining herself or asking for approval, she just danced. That alone challenged a whole lot of assumptions.

She didn’t chase movie posters or big fame. That wasn’t the point. What mattered was that she showed there wasn’t just one way to be American. She lived it out in front of people who might not have considered it until she stood there under the lights.

King Lan Chew passed away in 1988. And every November 4, her birthday, she's worth remembering. She earned her place the same way most people do in the Midwest: she worked at it. She didn’t talk about breaking barriers. She walked past them, and she did it without backing down.

These are interesting things, with JC.

Student Worksheet

  1. What were some of King Lan Chew’s major educational achievements by 1926?

  2. How did King Lan Chew’s father influence her upbringing and career path?

  3. Why was her role as a performer especially significant in the 1920s and 30s?

  4. Describe the typical setting of one of her performances and explain why it mattered.

  5. In what ways did King Lan Chew challenge social expectations?

Teacher Guide
Estimated Time: 1–2 class periods (45–90 minutes total)

Pre-Teaching Vocabulary Strategy:

  • Use a Frayer Model for terms like "concert dancer" and "caricature"

  • Create a visual word wall featuring King Lan Chew's background and dance imagery

Anticipated Misconceptions:

  • Students may assume all activism is confrontational

  • Confusion between performance and protest roles

  • Misunderstanding of early 20th-century racial dynamics in the U.S.

Discussion Prompts:

  • What makes someone a trailblazer in history?

  • How can art and performance be a form of activism?

  • What does it mean to “belong” in a national identity?

Differentiation Strategies:

  • ESL: Provide bilingual glossary with key terms

  • IEP: Scaffold questions using sentence starters

  • Gifted: Research other minority artists of the 1920s–40s and compare narratives

Extension Activities:

  • Students choreograph or storyboard a short dance or skit inspired by cultural fusion

  • Host a “Trailblazer Gallery Walk” with student posters on overlooked American pioneers

Cross-Curricular Connections:

  • History: U.S. Immigration policy and Chinese Exclusion Act

  • Performing Arts: History of modern dance in America

  • Sociology: Identity and representation in minority communities

Quiz
Q1. Where was King Lan Chew born?
A. San Francisco
B. Los Angeles
C. Berkeley
D. Sacramento
Answer: C

Q2. What profession did King Lan Chew's father have?
A. Lawyer
B. Newspaper editor and minister
C. Dance teacher
D. Tailor
Answer: B

Q3. What made King Lan Chew’s dance career especially unique?
A. She danced only in China
B. She followed traditional opera styles
C. She was the only Chinese concert dancer in America at the time
D. She starred in silent films
Answer: C

Q4. What best describes her performance style?
A. Mimicry of Hollywood dance routines
B. Comic skits
C. A blend of Chinese tradition and American modern dance
D. Vaudeville performances
Answer: C

Q5. What message did King Lan Chew’s career send to American audiences?
A. She wanted to be famous
B. There is only one way to be American
C. Americans should only watch Hollywood performers
D. Identity can be expressed through discipline and artistry
Answer: D

Assessment

  1. In your own words, describe how King Lan Chew used dance to shape public perceptions of Chinese-Americans.

  2. Compare her form of advocacy to other types of social activism you’ve studied.

3–2–1 Rubric:

  • 3 = Accurate, complete, thoughtful

  • 2 = Partial or missing detail

  • 1 = Inaccurate or vague

Standards Alignment
Common Core (CCSS):

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 – Determine the central ideas of a historical text.

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2 – Write informative texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 – Initiate and participate in collaborative discussions on grade-level topics.

C3 Framework:

  • D2.His.2.9-12 – Analyze change and continuity in historical eras.

  • D2.His.14.9-12 – Evaluate how different factors shaped people’s perspectives.

National Core Arts Standards (NCAS):

  • DA:Cr1.1.HSI – Use movement exploration to express ideas.

  • DA:Re9.1.HSI – Reflect on how dance is used to communicate meaning in different cultures.

ISTE Standards for Students:

  • 1.3 Knowledge Constructor – Evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media formats.

UK National Curriculum (History – KS4):

  • Investigate significant individuals’ contributions to change in modern history.

Cambridge IGCSE (History):

  • Understand historical developments in the 20th century and their influence on identity.

Show Notes
Episode #1459 of Interesting Things with JC, “The Woman Who Danced Between Two Worlds,” introduces listeners to King Lan Chew, a Chinese-American woman who challenged racial and gender norms not through protest but through performance. At a time when exclusionary laws and stereotypes defined public perception, King Lan Chew embodied resilience, discipline, and cultural pride by touring as the only Chinese concert dancer in America. Her story allows educators to explore how art intersects with activism, how identity is performed in public spaces, and how personal stories can reflect and resist broader social currents. This episode is essential listening for students exploring U.S. immigration, civil rights, women’s history, and the performing arts.

References

JC https://jimconnors.org
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