Here are images from my piece Désillusions de l’Enchantement – great photos by Dave Macleod Dancers: Carol Prieur, Lucie Vigneault, Mark Eden=Towle, and James Viveiros
Costumes: Marilène Bastien, Lights: François Marceau Sound Compostion: Victortronic Choreography: Tony Chong
Tags: carol prieur, danse tony chong, dave macleod, désillusions de l'enchantement, françois marceau, james viveiros, lucie vigneault, marilène bastien, mark eden-towle, tony chong
For some strange reason my trip back to my hometown this time around was like starring in an episode of the Twilight Zone. I was literally in a time warp witnessing life rapidly advanced before my very eyes – suddenly transported or pushed into the future. In fact my flight was more of a time travel that brought me years ahead into the future rather than being my simple annual visit to see my family. Everyone that I have had a chance to see here has in some form physically changed from the last time I’ve encountered them. How could this have happened so quickly and how have I’ve never ever noticed it before? Within a span of two years, everyone and everything has physically gone through a noticeable aging process which means that I too must have aged dramatically in the eyes of others… and that sudden realization has hit me hard. I am no longer the person who I thought I was while instead I’ve become myself in the future. That means that I too must have grown up and have become older…. much older. Why is this so shocking? I guess I’ve always continued to view myself and everyone else around me as the youthful, energetic, starry-eyed, idealistic 20 year olds. Now does that mean that I should wake up a face reality? The aging process is sometimes still a surprising reality for me. I have subconsciously tried to ignore it but obviously can no longer avoid it.
Tags: adventure, artists, blog, dance creations, diary, existence, idealism, Life, process, rant, thoughts, tony chong
Today I overheard (perhaps eavesdropping is the proper word but it was definitely not intentional) a conversation between two strangers while leaving the gym this morning. I caught portions of a dialogue between a man and a woman in a very private conversation in a public environment – it was exactly like a scene within a movie. What caught me was the frank emptiness leaking from the male figure’s voice and in his physical demeanor while the consoling female tried to provide a bit of advice in order to alleviate him from his disposition. The brief dialogue went somewhat like this:
Female: Is it because you are lonely?
Male: ….uh… yeah I don’t know what to do.. about… this…
Female: You should really definitely think of social clubs or activities with other people like you.
Male: ….. Can’t get this feeling out of myself… maybe should…. I’ve stopped taking the ant-depressants you know….
Female: … okay… maybe you should….
Male: maybe should….
That was basically the entire moment that I was able to witness and yet it struck me kind powerful. It was not a huge conversation but it was the sparseness of it which added to the moment. It was the placement of these two bodies in that tight space that intrigued me as well. Even though they were in a rather intimate conversation, there was a huge distance between the two. They were definitely not in the same place in their lives. The tin-like tone along with the time it took the male to deliver his words molded his whole being. The intense sadness of loneliness was coming out of that man and it was clear he that was losing himself somewhere within. He was void of who he was and could not find the path of getting back to himself. He seemed to be drowning in his sense of nothingness. It was a very quiet and soft cry for rescue that was heard loud and clear by only a few.
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, creativity, culture, diary, dramaturge, existence, idealism, Life, montreal, montreal people, observations, photographs, thoughts, tony chong, winter
I am back again reflecting about what I want to achieve for the next 40 or could it be 50? years of my life. There are so many possibilities and projects that I still need to see realized. Dance is still a strong and uncanny passion that will never be abandoned from my being. There is much more that I NEED to say therefore I am planning to get back into the studio very soon. I already have a few projects that are swirling around my head/heart/stomach and loins just waiting to get out. I’ve missed the creative environment in the studio with crazy courageous dancers and collaborators. The craziness in the kitchen is intense and fun however I do miss a certain sense of magic. Still have a deep appreciation and love of cooking but I am looking for ways to balance these two things that I do in my life. I have come to realize that I am able to achieve anything that I want to if it peaks my curiosity to learn. I guess that is the answer…. I need have to have fun, continue to learn, and to make art. BALANCE of the practical and the impractical will always make me happy…. makes sense doesn’t?
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, canadian dance, choreography, contemporary dance, cooking, creativity, culture, Dance, dance creations, diary, existence, idealism, Life, montreal, thoughts, tony chong
While walking around just recently, I had a sudden realization of how much love I have for Montreal (my adopted home for the last 17 years! – nuts). This city is remarkable with all of its history, politics, architecture, and language issues. It truly is the most fascinating, contradictory, passionate, artistic, and sexy place in North America… and it is where I call home! My neighbourhood is a melting pot of nations, styles, incomes, and professions. There is an incredible Montrealer and Quebecers pride that one doesn’t find anywhere else in Canada. The people are as diverse as they are the same. They are beautiful, ugly. pleasant. rude, aggressive. fun but not apathetic to their beliefs. Aesthetics, politics, and lifestyles may differ however the majority of us sing, scream, laugh, dance, drink, and fuck with all of their souls! Now that is what I call the spirit of living – Nous sommes vraiment les Bons Vivants. I am proud and happy to be part of and to share this wonderful place with my fantastic friends, family and fellow Montréalers!
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, culture, dance creations, diary, existence, idealism, Life, montreal, snow, thoughts, winter
The days are counting down. Cooking school is almost over and now I must face what the restaurant world has to offer and what it is that I have to give to the food universe. Even though I am so ready to bolt out of school right now, I know this is only the beginning of my journey. Like many things, being in school is the easy part, the test begins in a month and a half when I will be looking for work in the best kitchens in the city.
Just read an excerpt from Anthony Bourdain’s new book and he said that if you are at least 34 years of age and are thinking of a career in the kitchen…. it would be best to forget about it cause you are just too damn old! Forget about it? Are you kidding me? Holy shit, I’m a decade older than this suggested age limit and I find myself in the middle of embarking into this crazy career. Is he really serious? Am I out of my mind? Am I past my prime to be cooking? Really? Well he must’ve been talking about your average joes in this world and that my friends, I’m definitely not part of that gang. Yes of course, I am probably truly out of my mind so… Fuck it – that is my motto. I’ve started and there is no looking back now! I know that I’m still physically fit enough to work in this demanding environment and I’m creative enough to make great tasting food. Very passionate, inspired and continually to be motivated to the making and eating of amazingly tasty food. I gather at least that makes me ahead of the curve.
Tags: adventure, artists, blog, cooking, creativity, creators, culture, diary, dining, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, idealism, Life, montreal, tony chong
Autumn is definitely knocking on the door today. The wind and skies are churning with a mix of chill along with pinches of rain. Very intense and so exciting. It is brewing into something thick and rich. The summer has been incredible here with the sunny hot days and bountiful food and drinks with friends and loved ones.
Tags: adventure, artists, cooking, creativity, creators, culture, diary, dining, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, Life, montreal, thoughts, tony chong
Image by David Hou of Steeve Paquet and Ben Kamino in Bloodletting and Other Pleasant Things
We are heading into the Tech Residency for Bloodletting and Other Pleasant Things this week and we seem to be already behind. With the Thanksgiving long weekend and pressure to have something for the Avant Premiere on Saturday, everything seems just a little more difficult. Went into the theatre yesterday and found that we had a skeletal crew working therefore nothing was ready. Hopefully today will be a different story, I want to see the lights hung, the seating configuration placed, and the set up of the decor. Our lighting designer Kim is to be focusing the lights as well today so there is so much to do. The dancers are in tomorrow rehearsing and working within her lighting plot (design). I have to fly back to Ottawa for a day on Wednesday which makes our schedule extremely tight and difficult. I guess I’m starting to feel the stress. The piece needs some tweaking and certain elements might need to be changed however it is not very far from being ready.
The dancers (the incredible Kate Holden, Kate Hilliard, Ben Kamino, Steeve Paquet, and Robert Abubo) are going through an incredible physical and emotional journey in Bloodletting…. and with the incredible help of my collaborators Bonnie Kim and Jacob Zimmer, they are diving fearlessly into this crazy place. They’re hungry to find the deeper and darker aspects of human rage without falling into clichés. We’re looking for some honest brutality while at the same time not going overboard on generalizations and that… is what I find interesting. We are slowly carving and chipping away at the surface to reveal a world that is honest and often times very complicated. It is going to be an incredible experience for the audience, myself and for the Dancemaker performers on the premiere October 22, 2008 at Dancemakers studios 8:00pm. It is going to rock! Hope to see you there.
Tags: ben kamino, bonne kim, dancemakers, jacob zimmer, kate hilliard, kate holden, le groupe dance lab, robert abubo, steeve paquet, tony chong, toronto
This is my new piece Bloodletting and Other Pleasant Things with Toronto’s Dancemakers. This work is inspired by stumbling upon the venomous hateful comments in internet forums. By being ‘anonymous’, many people are for some reason able to spew their frustrations and anger in the most vile manner. Perhaps it is with this outlet to purge, people are then able to engage as a member of society in a civilized manner. What is with all the hate?
Tags: art, benjamin kamino, bonnie kim, choreography toronto, contemporary dance, dancemakers, jacob zimmer, kate hilliard, kate holden, kevin young, kim purtell, matt keast, michael trent, robert abubo, robin dutt, steeve paquet, tanya white, tony chong, val stevens
Starting on January 1, 2009 I will be posting 2-9 photos each day for the duration of the new year. The images will be taken between 9 am (-2) to 9 pm(+ or -2) and and will be posted before I go to sleep. The 2-9 images will document whatever and anything that is representative of that period of the day. The -2 in the morning gives me leeway to start shooting at 7 am and the + or – 2 in the evening gives me an option to shoot up to 11 pm or finish at 7 pm. Using the idea of the number 2 represents the #2 in 2009 which really has no real connection nor significance but it will just give me more options to play with as I want to shoot mainly with natural light. I am attempting to make a visual documentation or diary made of images without any text. This will allow the viewer or reader to freely interpret how I see the world and live my life. The images can risk being rather mundane to the potential of being really fun but it should truly reflect how I am seeing things at that moment. The challenge is not to consciously present the best or exciting photographs but the most honest ones. This personal project will be challenging as it requires a bit of discipline to maintain its legitimacy. Will be seeing you all very soon!
well it is the 3rd day and i hope to keep this up. I need to make this more simple to upload and view. Will figure it out eventually. Also will need to make this more intimate and spontaneous. Keep you posted.
peace
tony
Tags: art, blog, diary, life. tony chong., montreal, photographs
Tags: art, blog, creativity, diary, existence, montreal, photographs, thoughts, tony chong, winter
Tags: art, blog, creativity, culture, diary, existence, Life, montreal, photographs, tony chong, winter
Hey so I’ve been neglecting my photo project for the last couple of days. I’ve realized that I won’t always have access to my computer and internet. This will obvious create problems for me to upload photos everyday. Consistency is not always a reality in life. Will start posting more photos starting tomorrow. The project will continue only I recognize the reality of how difficult it is to be on top of things when technology is not always available.
cheers,
tony
Tags: art, blog, creativity, diary, idealism, Life, photographs, thoughts
Hey check out my new photo site. Let me know what you think of it. www.tonychongphotography.com and send me clients.
thanks,
tony
Tags: artists, photographs, tony chong
Well my project of posting photos everyday seem to have failed. It became almost impossible at times and eventually just had to give up on it entirely. Maybe I’ll begin a less ambitious project and load photos once a month instead.
So glad to be back in Montreal. It truly is a great place to live and create. There are so many talented, creative and gorgeous people in this city . There is a certain vibe in Montreal that one doesn’t find anywhere else in Canada. The only drawback are the winters. Too long and too cold. When the summer comes however, it makes it all worthwhile.
It has been more than a four years since I’ve danced a whole evening’s show and now I find myself learning a piece in four days in order to perform it in Vancouver. Louise Bedard Danse called me up yesterday telling me one of her dancers is out with a serious case of bronchitis and needed a replacement asap for her tour of the west coast!! Tried to come up with some names but everyone was already busy or elsewhere then suddenly out of left field (insanity most likely)…. I volunteered myself. Now I haven’t been dancing seriously for years and my mind has not been in dancer’s learning mode either – there are some serious rust issues here. What a crazy idea to jump right in to dancing once again and especially in a high pressure short working/learning period. Louis Bedard’s work is very complicated and dense. The piece will not be a walk through the park as she packs in so much within an hour and a half. This piece Enfin Vous Zeste has six dancers, lots of demanding movement, choreographically complicated, and a live musician on stage…. and I’ve never seen the piece until last night on DVD. Well there is nothing liking plunging oneself into what the world has to offer at each given moment. Woohooo, lets go for a ride!!
Tags: art, chanti wadge, Dance, entertainment, louise bédard, louise bédard danse, montreal
Dancing in Vancouver with Louise Bédard Danse came and went so quickly that it seemed almost surreal. Learning the piece in 4 days and then performing it on stage was brilliant fun. Nothing like greasing the chains, jumping back on the bicycle seat and riding as fast as you can. The short whirlwind tour and contract was filled with challenging situations. After a great premier on Thursday March 12, 2009 at the Roundhouse Theatre, the next day JF Diesel woke up with a bad back. We couldn’t get into the theatre until 4:00 so the company had to go into overdrive to redo and learn parts by 6:00. I learnt a few of JF’s roles in that two hour period as well as did the other dancers (Ken Roy, Victoria May, Marie Claire Forté, and Sarah Williams). JF was to able dance certain parts but much of it had to be modified in order to accommodate his injury. Poor Louise, she was sick with a cold, had to hire me as a last minute replacement and then had to deal with yet another stress. As pros, the shows went off quite well in spite of the last minute changes. In our perspective, we performed with integrity and danced strongly. I’m sure Louise saw it differently as the piece on stage was not the work that she had envisioned; it was compromised but the ‘show must go on’. The public however never noticed. In fact the piece was very well received and the reviews were glowing for Louise’s Enfin Vous Zestes.
My body was a little sore after the week and a half of work as a dancer. I think the plane ride back during the red-eye was worse on my body. Couldn’t believe an overnight flight back to Montreal would be so crowded plus my window seat couldn’t recline because I sat beside the emergency exit door. Try comfortably sleeping in a tight upright position – not.
Tags: canadian dance, contemporary dance, Jean François Desiel, Ken Roy, louise bédard, louise bédard danse, Marie Claire Forté, Sarah Williams, tony chong, Vancouver, Victoria May
Life is an ongoing process and it will always bring you adventures (good and bad) along the way. I try to remind myself that there are no absolutes but there are many possibilities. If one makes an effort to accomplish things in life (no manner how big or small), opportunities present itself in many forms. It may not be the goal or reward that one may have envisioned from the beginning of one’s process however it may open up doors that one never thought of ever opening. I recognize how being open to the universe is better than ‘boxing’ oneself in. With all of the experience and expertise that I have gathered over the years, I am versatile and talented enough to do almost whatever I want with my life. Now that is a pretty exciting realization and my potential is essentially limitless. Wow, that feels damn good! It is like graduating from school or university once again and seeing my future in the world with a youthful enthusiasm… now that is priceless and I hope never to lose this ideal or mindset. The world is my oyster and it is there for me to take good care of it.
Tags: adventure, artists, blog, dance creations, existence, idealism, montreal, rant, thoughts
I am acknowledging the unknown as I am trying to find my way. Well, that is what I think that I am doing at the moment…. Just turned down a couple of creative projects and currently thinking of turning down two others. Creativity has to come from a real place other than just for the sake of being creative. I am clearing my path of distractions in order to see a clearer picture of what it is that needs to be built. This is what I call lucid creativity. Whether this is about art or just the art of living, it helps to be conscious or be aware of what it is and why it is that we are doing.
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, creativity, creators, culture, dance creations, existence, idealism, Life, montreal, process, thoughts, tony chong
Pointing where and what to do
Tags: art, diary, montreal, photographs, tony chong
hello there
Tags: art, dance creations, diary, existence, idealism, montreal, photographs, thoughts, tony chong
Just read a couple of quotes that I thought was pretty appropriate:
The three things we crave most in life –happiness, freedom, and peace of mind –are always attained by giving them to someone else. Conway
“Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of every fear is a freedom” M Ferguson
Is this why we are artists? Seeking knowledge, pursuing truths, understanding fear by freely creating.
Tags: adventure, artists, blog, creativity, creators, existence, idealism, Life, process, thoughts, tony chong
Wow what a beautiful morning to wake up to in Montreal. Will be seeing more dance this week plus will have some answers on some pending questions. Had a great time at Dominique Porte’s fundraiser event for her company Système D yesterday. It was nice to do a little performance for this event and to have danced with some old friends. It was quite a beautiful Sunday brunch celebrating the company’s 10th anniversary. Bravo Dominique!!!
Tags: contemporary dance, dance montreal, dominique porte, montreal, système d, tony chong
Check out my website www.tonychongphotography.com
Give me some feedback on the new template. Would love to hear your comments.
Some of my portrait and other photographic works are on the site. Thanks and enjoy! Tony
Tags: actors, casting photographs, head shots, montreal, performers, portraits
Well the 2009 Festival TransAmerique in Montréal, Canada has ended. I managed to see only 4 shows at the festival, a couple of free events, and participated in a couple of OFF-TA events because it was rather pricey. The paid shows that were officially in the festival were interesting works however none were amazing or great. All four had the problem of being too long, an unwillingness to edit, self-indulgent and the inability to avoid being pretentiously self-conscious. I kept saying to myself, ”would someone just have little dramatic craftsmanship here Please!” The images presented in all of the shows were often beautiful or even powerful however they were always hammered into us until it became insignificant and boring. I began believing that these choreographers are trying so hard to show off their ingenuity or cleverness that it backfires on them. Sometimes less is better.
The most successful work were the ones that took itself much less seriously. Sylvain Emard’s Le Grand Continental’s mass choreographic exercise with everyday folks dancing in the street and the collective Piquant during the OFF were highlights.
I don’t know… perhaps I am looking at and for things differently now in dance.
Been in the studio working as a dancer with Louise Bédard. Will be performing tomorrow night at Le Theatre la Verdure in Parc Lafontaine, Montréal. An open outdoor theatre will be a wonderful setting for a night out in this city. I’ll be one of the old guys on stage jumping up and down. Come see us and tell me if I still have the chops or not to be dancing… and yes be honest. Whether you like the work or not, it is me that I’m interested about. (just kidding)
Summer has finally arrived (August 13th), it has been a long time coming. However fall is just around the corner and that is coming in faster than I want it to. There is just so much to do and yet there is not enough time or money to do it. Doing some research on future projects and ideas. All is a stage of unknown at the moment. Ahh how to control it all.
Tell me how!
I realize that I am a ‘Foodie’. Just addicted to anything that talks about eating and cooking. Can’t get enough of it on t.v., books, podcasts, and websites. It is food porn and I can’t seem to free myself from this addiction. Find myself working on recipes and talking about what works and doesn’t work about a meal. What is going on? I think it is a sign….
When one is so in love with one’s own odor, one can’t perceive or recognize the stink that is imposed on others. Sometimes when an idea is clear in ones head, it does not mean that the idea is clear for others. Often the conceptual does not reflect the reality of the product. Never assume the obvious and never disrespect the intelligence of your audience.
Tags: art, canadian dance, choreography, creativity, culture, Dance, dramaturge, thoughts
Had a fun weekend of cooking and entertaining for my friends. We had a great surprise BBQ for my friend’s birthday on Saturday where I invited about 15 people to attend, of course 20 arrived along with their kids!!!! It was hectic but I managed to feed everyone properly and happily. Made burgers, lamb, sausages, vegie burgers, hotdogs for the kids, grilled marinated courgettes, and a special mashed potato which was in my opinion was ma pièce de la resistance! (loads of great stuff such as garlic, butter, and bacon) mmmm bacon….
Yesterday for some friends hanging and playing music in my apartment for the weekend, I made one of my favorites, Hainan Chicken. Eat was easy and so tasty. For dinner I made a risotto with shitake mushrooms, carrots, courgetts and would you believe cheddar cheese and surprisingly it turned out fucking beautifully. In the middle of preparing the risotto, I had to run to my friend Lucie’s place for some cheese as I realized that I had no more parmasean cheese in the fridge. Since she only had cheddar, I had no choice but to take what was available and try it. Using the broth that I made for the Hainan Chicken, the risotto, was as good as any that I have tasted anywhere in the world. Believe you me, I have eaten risotto everywhere. This may come as a surprise but damn, it was good… real good.
Tags: art, artists, arts, blog, creativity, diary, entertainment, Life, montreal, thoughts, tony chong
I love anything that has to do with food! Everything from the conceptual stages of planning and preparation, to the actual cooking, and of course the ritual of sharing a meal are passions of mine. The tasting and eating of food are some of the most sensual and pleasurable acts one can possibly do in their lives. When I cook for others, I feel as if it is like putting on a show, and for the past twenty years as a dancer and choreographer, I certainly do enjoy putting on great performances. It excites me to try out new recipes, to experiment on ideas, and to create possibilities or combinations (some experiments are less successful then others, nevertheless taking chances is part of striving for greatness). The potential for creativity, discovery and imagination are driving me towards the idea of cooking for a living. All types of cuisine inspire me whether it is European, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or American (Latin and North America). If a meal is made with imaginative intelligence and especially love, then it is all good to me!
Tags: adventure, art, artists, blog, cooking, creativity, culture, dance creations, diary, dining, eating, entertainment, Food, foodie, Life, montreal, performing, thoughts, tony chong
My international travels as a dancer has allowed me to taste some of the culinary offerings the world has to offer. One of the most memorable tours was when I travelled to San Sebastien, Spain in between show dates. My palette could not get enough of the fine culinary creations in this small Basque city situated just south of France. With its’ fine affordable but great eating establishments, pinxos (tapas), wine, and beaches, I could only equate my time in San Sebastien as heaven on earth. I can still taste the beautiful ocean in every bite of the mussels that we tossed back with the vast amounts of wine and cider chasing down our throats. We were in a little hole in the wall of a eating establishment that was jammed packed with happy noisy people standing in a sea of shells from the discarded mussels… it was pure hedonistic pleasure.
Tags: adventure, art, blog, canadian dance, cooking, creativity, culinary travels, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, Life, San Sebastien, Spain, thoughts, tony chong
I find dining whether in a restaurant, at a friend’s or at home as a complete sensory experience. When it is done right, it will be a memorable event that one talks about for years. If it was done wrong, it could destroy the whole evening and damage a reputation. Dining encompasses many of the theatrical elements involved in putting on a performance; there is the conceptual developmental stage in the kitchen, to the presentation on the floor, along with the company that partakes in the sharing of the food. We all want to experience the ‘wow’ factor when we eat as a form of entertainment. The participation of a fine meal with good wine should be approached as a festivity. One must respect not only the act of cooking itself but also the ingredients used to create a dish such as the meats, the produce, the herbs, and of course the spices. Good quality fresh products are essential to a fantastic meal. Food is essential to sustaining life therefore it should respected, savoured and celebrated to its’ fullest potential. Good eating is equivalent to passionately loving and respecting life and people. The ritual of sharing a meal as a cook or with friends is one of the most important acts of communication and appreciation. Feeding someone is fundamentally an act of love.
Tags: art, blog, cooking, creativity, culture, dance creations, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, Life, thoughts, tony chong
Check out my dance videos on Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/tonychong
Tags: adventure, art, arts, benjamin kamino, blog, canadian dance, chanti wadge, choreography, contemporary dance, creativity, Dance, dancemakers, entertainment, kate hilliard, kate holden, le groupe dance lab, louise bédard danse, lucie vigneault, montreal, robert abubo, steeve paquet, thoughts, tony chong, toronto
TOURNEZ VOTRE REGARD VERS L’INTERIEUR …
Il était une fois une vieille dame qui avait laissé tomber son aiguille à coudre.
Pendant qu’elle la cherchait dans son jardin, un homme qui passait l’aida dans ses recherches.
Après quelque temps, ils n’avaient toujours pas retrouvé l’aiguille. L’homme demanda à la vieille dame l’endroit exact où elle avait laissé tomber l’aiguille.
” Oh, je l’ai laissé tomber à l’intérieur de la maison “, répondit-elle. Etonné, il lui demanda pourquoi diable la cherchait-elle dans le jardin car, bien sûr, elle ne la trouverait jamais !
Elle répondit qu’il faisait trop sombre dans sa maison, et que c’était la raison pour laquelle elle cherchait dehors, où il faisait plus clair.
La plupart d’entre nous sont comme cette vieille femme – nous cherchons notre bonheur perdu à l’extérieur de nous-même.
Nous avons le sentiment qu’il fait clair à l’extérieur, et que c’est là que se situe toute action ! Mais le bonheur ne peut pas être trouvé là.
Il peut être trouvé dans le calme et la tranquillité à l’intérieur de nous-même.
Le bonheur est notre condition naturelle, et la méditation notre état d’esprit naturel.
C’est à nous de découvrir ce qui est déjà à l’intérieur de nous.
Source inconnue.
Tags: adventure, blog, diary, existence, idealism, la vie, le bonheur, Life, processus, thoughts
The making and eating of food has always been a passion and a way of life to me. I love the idea of creating good healthy meals and sharing it with people. I personally prefer the concept of ordering things for the table where everyone eats the same dishes rather than individually ordering a meal for themselves. Coming from an Asian culture, I grew up in an environment and culture where the central social activity was based around eating together. I essentially grew up being around, thinking and talking about food. My family’s social events were all rooted around cooking, eating and drinking. Since I was a child, I always observed the way my parents and other people prepared meals in the kitchen. I realized that I picked up habits by watching how others cooked. It is such a beautiful art form. As an artist in the performing arts, I have always been inventive, creative, daring and curious. I see an uncanny parallel with cooking to dance making. It takes hard work, creativity, passion and a joy in what you are doing to become successful in anything.
I am very familiar and aware that the restaurant business is difficult and entails hard stressful work. My romantic outlook on cooking is balanced equally with a very pragmatic side. My father worked all of his life in restaurants and he had his own restaurant for a number of years in Vancouver. I myself worked in my father’s restaurant along with other eating establishments for years as a cook, busboy, bartender, and waiter to pay my way through school. It is a very competitive milieu and it constantly takes an innovative, fun and fresh approach to be relevant.
Tags: art, Asian, asian cooking, asian family, blog, cooking, creativity, culture, dance creations, diary, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, idealism, Life, montreal, process, thoughts, tony chong
I finished a week long creative intensive on the circus students at l’Ecole de Cirque in Montreal. It was a rock and roll, fast, throw it out there experience with these highly energized physical specimens. Loved their ‘freakishly’ amazing abilities and youthful enthusiasm. My main goal for the week long intensive was to choreograph to popular music and to fuse dance with the circus arts. The 3 works had to be created quickly and for me had to be accessible and well communicated to any type of viewer. My biggest challenge was not the time limitation but the fact that I was working with inexperienced talent in their formative stage as circus performers. I needed to remind myself that they were not professionals nor were they dancers and we were still within an educational institution. My expectations were lowered on their dancing abilities however my demand for hard work were never compromised. With a few exceptions, the maturity level was very high. I generally ignored or did not use those who were not generous or open to working ‘professionally’.
The results were quite fun. Got most of them ‘dancing’ and managed to make some very interesting work with these folks. It was a hard but satisfying exercise for both the creators and the performers. I tried to get them out of their comfort zone by choreographing dance while still respecting and integrating their particular art forms within each of the 3 works. I highly enjoyed the experience at l’Ecole de Cirque as it confirmed that creation with hungry artists is always satisfying. The kids were great and it was a blast to discover other possibilities of moving. It was damn fun and can’t wait to see a copy of the video.
Tags: ;, adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, canadian dance, choreography, creativity, creators, dance creations, entertainment, l'école de cirque montreal, montreal
Will be starting my culinary training on january 11, 2010. It is coming up very soon and have been looking forward to it for almost half a year now. Very excited and will be keeping you up to date with all of my trials and tribulations. Can’t wait to start cooking baby!!
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, cooking, creativity, dance creations, diary, eating, Food, foodie, Life, montreal
Working on a new work with the Collective DeuxplusTrois=Un (Lucie Vigneault, Judith Allen, and Caroline Sirois). We had a informal showing in December 2009 and since then I’ve made some much needed changes. It is now a half hour piece of pure dance. I’m currently working with a score made up of popular music but that may eventually change if we decide to. However, I really am quite attached to the work of Montreal’s Patrick Watson as it seems to fit so well with the dancing. Hopefully we will have a chance to show the work to the general public very soon as it is really good and fun!
This week we got our chef’s uniform and knives. Will be in the kitchen learning French techniques. Super excited! First we begin with stocks.
Cooking and Creating Dances…. I like that combination…
Tags: adventure, art, artists, arts, blog, canadian dance, choreography, contemporary dance, cooking, creativity, creators, culture, Dance, dance creations, eating, entertainment, Food, foodie, Life, montreal, process, thoughts, tony chong
Damn, I just cut myself again! What the hell is going on? It never ever happens and it only occurs when I’m wiping my blade clean – not from actual cutting or slicing. Really ridiculous because it is getting stupid. I’m not even in school today!
Off to do more juliennes, allumettes, batonettes, and tournés with my bandaged wounds. Gotta keep on practicing.
Had a great day off as I went to see Avatar with my friends. Outstanding!
Will keep you all up to date.
Tags: adventure, art, blog, cooking, culinary school, eating, rant, tony chong
It has taken me some time before being able to sit down and blog. Due to a recent tragic event, I have not been able to make a clear sense of things. Nothing ever prepares you for senselessness. My very dear friend Bernard passed away on February 11, 2010… There are things that are so unexpected and inexplicable in life that no form of analysis can ever resolve or answer the many unanswerable questions. All I can say is that Bernard was an amazingly generous, fun, crazy friend. Someone asked me once if the Personal Fitness Course that I took was a waste of time because I didn’t pursue it as a career in it. I replied: Are you kidding me? I might have found the fitness industry boring, insipid and stupid but I made a great lifelong friend from it. Absolutely no regrets as the choices we make often leads to other possibilities and meanings. Making choices informs you on life and if you are lucky, puts you onto the path of meeting the people that might one day be very important to you. Bernard was one of those very important unique people that I have had the privileged to have met and called a friend.
Bernard and his beautiful wife Carolynn were the best Bon vivants and I wanted to emulate their love of eating great food. drinking amazing wine, and traveling the world. Bernard always found a way to laugh at things when it was going bad and there was always the typical French comment attached to it: “C’est Con!” He always made me laugh.
Eating dinner at their place was always an eventful feast with fantastic food and wine. Each meal was more decadent than the other. Delicious Foie Gras, Cassoulet avec Canard, Fresh raw Oysters on a half shell, Saucisse Boudin (only started to enjoy it at Bernard and Carolynn’s), Fondues, Sushi nights are some of the typical meals with copious amounts wine that was enjoyed at Bernard and Carolynn’s. I always ended stomach full and lying on the couch afterwards while they continued to party on. I admired and continue to admire their endurance and great taste for all the good and simple things in life. Damn, if we could have only eaten and drank our way around the world together! Glad we had a chance to attempt to just that one night in Paris where we met up and ate, drank, and walked as much as we could within a 7 hour period. Didn’t have much time together but boy did we try to fill our stomachs as much as possible with the time that we had together. Man that was so fucking fun and so privileged to have shared it with these two beautiful people. It was extraordinary!
I devote my pursuit in the culinary arts to you Bernard. I will cook with the passion that you have instilled in me to appreciate food, wine, friends, and life to the utmost. Miss you very much my dear friend. Rest In Peace.
You are much loved and appreciated. Your friend, Tony
Tags: Bernard Emeyriat, blog, cooking, diary, dining, eating, existence, Food, idealism, Life, montreal, thoughts
Wow what an incredible privilege it was to perform on stage with my best friends here in Montreal! The last couple of weeks were all about learning to cook, eating, drinking, playing/creating/ with amazingly talented people. As this doesn’t happen very often anymore, I can really appreciate the significance of this experience. My friend Sabrina decided to gather a bunch of us to help perform in her show ‘Les Creux d’Un Rêves’ at Theatre LaChapelle after her original production fell through last minute. It was a blast to have had the chance to find ourselves performing with old friends and colleagues once again. We were all very tired as most of us had other obligations such as jobs, school, and other commitments however it was all worthwhile as it truly was a labour of love for all of us. I was reminded about how talented all of my friends really are. It was beautiful to watch, dance and share these precious moments together. Thank you!
Tags: adventure, art, artists, canadian dance, contemporary dance, creativity, creators, diary, idealism, Life, montreal, process, tony chong
Cooking and learning loads at St. Pius Culinary Academy. Here are some photos of what I have been working with. Watch out if you are squeamish or vegetarian!!!
Tags: adventure, blog, cooking, creativity, dining, eating, entertainment, Food, foodie
Hammock Days… love lounging outdoors. Summer is here in Montreal. What an amazing place to be!
Ha
Tags: adventure, diary, existence, idealism, Life, montreal, photographs, thoughts, tony chong
A great tajine from Ainad and my breakfast sandwich of champions with my home-made coriander/garlic mayonnaise. More eats are a coming!
Tags: cooking, creativity, creators, diary, dining, eating, entertainment, existence, Food, foodie, Life, montreal, summer, tony chong
Some photos of lighting designer/artist Axel Morgenthaler’s light installation at SAT. Congratulations my friend.
Tags: art, artists, arts, creativity, creators, culture, dance creations, entertainment, montreal, winter
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2010. That’s about 3 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 12 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 67 posts. There were 79 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 45mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week.
The busiest day of the year was May 31st with 95 views. The most popular post that day was Performing with Friends.
The top referring sites in 2010 were networkedblogs.com, tonychongphotography.com, en.wordpress.com, apps.facebook.com, and shrinkingthecamel.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for tony chong, tony chong montreal, chef tony chong, tony chong photography, and “bernard emeyriat”.
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
Performing with Friends May 2010
Miss you my amazing friend from Lyon March 2010
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About December 2007
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dance December 2007
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Some Images from Cooking School May 2010
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