Pat Chan Lai Ngo joins the University of Lethbridge as an assistant professor in the Department of Drama. She is a theatre educator, director and choreographer.
Tell us about yourself.
I am originally from Malaysia, a country rich in multicultural heritage, comprising Malay, Chinese, South Asian, Indigenous and other communities. I hold an MFA in Directing from the University of Calgary in Canada and an MA in Actor Training and Coaching from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, in the United Kingdom.
My diverse background includes over twelve years of teaching in post-secondary education and more than twenty years of creating performances across Asia, Europe and North America.
What drew you to the Faculty of Fine Arts at ULethbridge?
I am drawn to the Faculty of Fine Arts for its liberal arts program that provides multi and inter-disciplinary as well as trans-disciplinary arts programs.
I feel at home, yet challenged, as I am trained in multi-disciplines of dance, martial-arts, actor training and have an inherent diverse heritage.
I was instrumental in pioneering a liberal arts BA performing arts program back at the Taylor’s University, Malaysia, which provided me with valuable experiences. Therefore, I see the Faculty of Fine Arts as an ideal institution for me to share my expertise and experiences as well as develop new ones.
What does your research and/or your teaching pedagogy encompass?
My research focuses on cultural integration, specifically exploring Asian identity within a Western context. My work includes examining historical events and the interactions between Asian migrants and the Indigenous peoples of North America, the generational dynamics among Asian migrants, first-generation individuals, and Canadian-born Asians, as well as uncovering Asian or historically rooted narratives that have been long forgotten.
My aim is to use these stories as tools for education, inspiration, and, most importantly, to foster meaningful connections between Asian communities and the broader North American society.
As an Asian theatre educator, I am committed to racial equity and decolonial approaches to education. My teaching philosophy emphasizes the integration of multiple disciplines, which I have found to be valuable in performance training, creative development and long-term career sustainability.
What are you most excited about for this upcoming year?
I'm excited about the new challenges ahead and look forward to collaborating, contributing, and working alongside my colleagues at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University community, and the broader communities in Lethbridge.
I am particularly eager to produce and direct intercultural productions in Lethbridge, with a vision of incorporating the local landscape into compelling stories that explore cultural integration through dance, drama and martial arts. Above all, I look forward to discovering and settling into life in Lethbridge.
What has been your favourite thing about ULethbridge/Lethbridge/southern Alberta so far?
The first description I heard of Lethbridge, during a taxi ride, was that it’s a “small city”—a phrase I initially found to be a contradiction in terms.
Yet, true to those words, I soon discovered how Lethbridge beautifully blends modernity with nature, the charm of a small town combined with the conveniences of a city, the warm hospitality of its people, a tranquil atmosphere imbued with a quiet sense of purpose, and, above all, a stunning landscape set against ever-changing blue skies—at times dramatic, at times poetic.