We were lucky to catch up with Jason Cheung recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jason thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

This question has weighed on my mind heavily over the last couple of years. It demanded a lot of reflection on my journey to question whether or not it was time to change gears.

My pathway to being a creative has been a bit chaotic to say the least. I began training parkour during the summer before university. I became an assistant coach during university and once I graduated, I was accidentally inducted into a circus. This bolstered my resolve to double down on this path and I trained to pass the level two coaching qualification to become a lead coach able to run my own classes.

The pandemic changed everything, of course. In-person and outdoor activities ceased for a while. I saw the need for people to stay active during lockdown, so I began using my acrobatic background to engage the parkour community and teach them movements they could do in their living room (since parkour was not really possible). Once lockdown ended, I returned to coaching and began to engage with the film industry, getting involved in short and feature films.

Funnily enough, it was when things started to settle down after lockdown that I began asking myself the question of whether or not I’m happy. My coaching had become quite regular, which is great in a freelance profession, and I got to do exciting film projects every now and then. I had my own business and had even expanded to hiring others. It sounded pretty solid.

However, that’s the point at which growth began to slow. Each direction I considered investing into, it seemed that there were hurdles that got less and less appealing to attempt to overcome.

In terms of coaching and growing the business, most areas of London had been covered already. Most audiences were claimed and, while coaching kids was always a reliable need, I much preferred teaching students that are older. The audience for this has always been limited and parkour has already had its peak in popular media. When it came to hiring other coaches and growing the business, I was held back by the number of coaches in London that fulfilled the criteria that I look for in a coach. Not only were there not enough lead coaches available in the areas where I would need them, but I felt that our values didn’t always align enough in my eyes.

In terms of circus and film performance, the industry is incredibly fickle. I have had some great opportunities to perform on excellent productions with fantastic people. But they come along once in a blue moon. It constantly felt like there were cliques and groups who would hear about auditions that I would know about after the fact, or just always hire their friends (qualified or not). It felt as though if you weren’t training for the stunt register (which is an insane level of investment and dedication), you just had to know all the right people to even get a chance. Whether or not that is the reality for all artists, it was my experience.

And so eventually, I began considering shifting away from the coaching and performance industries. I had hit a hard stop in growth and I felt like I wasn’t going anywhere. My passion for it was slowly being eroded, both by the frustrations of the industry and by the people. On top of that, since my working schedule was so different to those with regular jobs, I had to compromise my work time to be able to see friends and have a social life.

I began applying for a regular job. This is a tough process normally, let alone for someone who has such an unorthodox CV. It was a long process with few responses and many disappointments. Eventually, I was lucky enough to be recommended for a role that is home office based and operates in regular hours. I have been doing that for the last eight months and dialing back my coaching, which will finish this month.

You know what? It’s been a great transition. All of the background stress of constantly having to go out and hunt for work, to network, to earn enough to try to stay afloat and maybe even grow; all of that has faded away. I am able to work during the day and put that aside when I go out to see friends, instead of the freelance life of having few to no boundaries when potential work is concerned. I earn more than I ever did as an artist and I still manage to find creative outlets for myself to express and create.

Looking back, the industries I’ve stepped away from have their fair share of vibes from wholesome to toxic, from innovative to silly. I have managed to connect with vastly different individuals through the language of movement and shared hardship, whilst completely bouncing off of personalities that do not match my own despite common interests. I’m sure that comes up in every workplace, but in my current situation, there is at least more of a divide between professional and personal life. There is less dependence and that makes a real difference.

So to summarise, yes I was happy as a creative for many years, until gradually I wasn’t. It was a difficult thing to admit. But taking a new step in a different direction has meant a lot of positive change, especially with a view for the longer term in mind. Respect for all those who continue to pursue careers in the coaching and performing arts. I’m glad I dived in and gave it a go. But in the end, it isn’t for me.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Jason Cheung and I’m the director of Movement Toolbox. My background is in coaching parkour, which expanded into circus arts and film performance.

I got into parkour by meeting local enthusiasts in my home town. I joined the parkour club at university, the circus by happenstance and the film industry through connections.

Due to the diversity of my experiences, the movement style I embody and teach is a blend of parkour, acrobatics, tricking and circus. While there are many coaches and classes out there that focus on a singular discipline, I felt that a lot of enjoyment and creativity can be generated from blending them. Having a breadth of skills often produces a more well-rounded, adaptable athlete. One who has tools for a range of situations, hence the name of the company.

There are a few things I’m proud of during my time as a creative. Being hired by Disney to perform on a Star Wars project was a definite highlight. Teaching neurodivergent young people across multiple creative projects was rewarding. I was proud to be one of the only movement coaches to consistently teach online over almost a year during lockdown. And of course, coming full circle to teach the university club where I first began was a nice way of continuing the legacy.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There is great joy to be found in collaborating with your friends to create something together. When you have an artistic, focused vision, a solid bond with trusted performers and a curiosity to engage with the creative process, it can be a very enjoyable time.

Since so much of the journey as a movement artist in the coaching/performing industries is solo, finding collaborators can be a tricky process. But when it goes right, you can come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.

From a coaching perspective, seeing others grow on their journey is by far the most rewarding part of it. Witnessing the enthusiasm, the determination, the fears and the accomplishments of students overcoming their challenges has been excellent and I am happy to have been a part of their growth.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I think it’s important to go out and try as wide a range of related activities as possible early on in the process. Not only does this expose you to more skills/styles that may resonate with you, it also puts you in touch with people in adjacent fields that you may be able to collaborate with later on.

Getting a taste of what you don’t like is as important as finding what excites you. Local youth initiatives provide a good taster; community organised meet ups, small performances, attending classes from different providers etc. can all be good resources to try out different disciplines early on.

To this end, getting involved with the Roundhouse Street Circus Collective, the National Centre of Circus Arts, the range of parkour academies and stage fighting schools in London and being more informed about the British Stunt Register would have been handy earlier on in my career.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @movementtoolbox