As a teenager, he learnt to play a number of musical instruments from the piano to accordion and castanets to maracas.
[1] Whilst studying at St. Joseph's Institute, Then performed with his sister Yvonne in school concerts as part of the Literary, Debating and Dramatic Society, having learnt to tap-dance.
Here, he played one of the Transylvanians in musical movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show and made guest appearances in Gangsters, the Doctor Who classic The Talons of Weng-Chiang and The New Avengers.
In late 1977, Then returned to Singapore to work as director and choreographer of Neptune Theatre,[3] training dancers in various types of music such as jazz and disco as well as teaching them how to sing.
[2] He also taught ballet in Singapore and Europe but the deaths of his parents in 1982 and 1985 respectively brought him back home.
Directed by the choreographer/dancer, the production, staged in 1992, its centenary year at Kallang Theatre featured a cast of 140, consisting of dance teachers, students (including toddlers) and professional dancers from more than 40 ballet groups and schools.