Chan Hon Goh, director of Vancouver’s Goh Ballet Academy, says she is ‘happiest when personal life and work life are equally fulfilled.’KHAREN HILL/The Globe and Mail
December is a crazy time of year for Chan Hon Goh, director of Vancouver's Goh Ballet Academy. Her company's production of The Nutcracker is a holiday staple; this year, the company mounted eight performances over six days. Fresh from the final show this week, Ms. Goh – a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada – sat down to answer our Proust questionnaire.
1. What is your greatest fear?
My fear is to live without a sense of purpose or love.
2. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
I'd still like to come back as a ballerina, to be able to express through dance and to personify music. To bring beauty and joy to the world with the ability to transport audiences into a different realm, touched by emotions and sensibilities.
3. If you could live anywhere in Vancouver, where would it be?
Coal Harbour.
4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
This is a hard one! In Canada, Toronto. In USA, New York. In Europe, London. In China, Shanghai.
5. What is your favourite place, anywhere in the world, to dance?
The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. And the Metropolitan Opera House, NYC.
6. What restaurant have you eaten at the most?
My dad's kitchen. Seriously – his cooking is better than any restaurant.
7. What is the best present you've ever been given?
My son, Aveary.
8. Dog or cat?
Dog!
9. When and where were you happiest?
I'm happiest when personal life and work life are equally fulfilled. To me, it's not where but who. I'm fortunate to have people around me who add to my happiness; they make me whole.
10. What is the best book you've read this year?
Blue Ocean Strategy.
11. What is the best film you've seen this year?
Wonder Woman.
12. Bike, walk or drive?
I drive to work due to the distance but I really enjoy walking on the seawall.
13. Least favourite holiday?
Holidays in general.
14. An object you still own from your childhood?
A musical doll in a green floral dress.
15. What was your first paying job?
Answering phones – receptionist, while I was still in high school.
16. If you had $1-million to give to a charity, what cause would you select?
Really? Dance education a perpetual scholarship system to allow talented dancers to pursue dance without financial constraints.
17. What living person do you most admire?
Oprah Winfrey.
18. Which talent would you most like to have?
The talent to negotiate.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Still working on this.
20. What life lesson have you learned this year?
Think big, think positive, think of possibilities, think more and then, to follow my instinct.