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Saturday February 8, 2003 As always, Chinese New Year was hectic for Martial Artistry's Team Steel Phoenix, with performances all throughout the fifteen day holiday. The Western year 2003 is the Year of the Ram, or year 4700 by the Chinese calendar. To learn more about this particular Year of the Ram, go to http://www.chinatown-online.org.uk/ram.html . We kicked off our performance schedule in a big way, with a HUGE show at the UNM Lobos Basketball game. The Lobos games have been especially exciting this year, and the stands were packed, despite the snowstorm that hammered Albuquerque all that night. |
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It was a stressful evening! Homeland Security had upped the alert status to orange level, so security at The Pit was high. We had a series of performances that night, and had to rush from one to the other, a condition not helped by the fact that the Birdmobile (the huge van that moves all of our equipment) had developed a habit of suddenly -- as in the space of 10 minutes -- draining its battery lifeless. Then there was the snow. It came down in buckets, and most Albuquerque drivers just don't know what to make of that white stuff. |
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(right) Louie Lobo to the
rescue! He cracked everyone up with his own take on the monkey staff. Many thanks to the UNM Lobos for inviting us to The Pit, and to Louie for giving us a good laugh. Say . . . who was putting on a show for who?
(below) Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian performs with staff. See what we mean about the stand out crowds to watch the Lobos? If YOU want to watch the Lobos, go to www.golobos.com . |
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(left) Butterfly blocks with the kung fu war fan. This set looked especially awesome, with eight people on the floor all doing this routine in sync. Shown are Kristine Dang, Instructor's Aide Albert Vera, Lillie Vosa, Nicole Neff, Junior Instructor's Aide Danielle Stender and Ann Marie Palmieri. Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova and Junior Instructor's Aide Alex Daniels were in this set, too, but not shown. |
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(right) State Champion James
Cole performs wushu whip chain. In the background, lion dance drummer
Kyra Gryphon awaits her cue.
(below) Although you can't see National Champion Chris Baca's face as he finishes his Shaolin Shuangdao with a flourish, the interesting part of the photo below is the looks on the faces of the crowd. They're watching so intently, you'd think the Lobos were still on the floor! |
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(above) Kip Barkhurst, as the
Naughty Monk, fans himself and meditates, unaware that two furry schemers
approach. Dominique Dexter and Instructor's Aide Robert Vera play
Haoqi (orange) and Gold Medalist Diana Ma and Instructor's Aide James
Esparza play Li (yellow). That's Nicole Neff on cymbals and
Junior Instructor's Aide Alex Daniels on gong, with Instructor's Aide Brian
Baker bringing up the lettuce.
(left) Haoqi gets the monk's attention, while Li sneaks up from behind. Almost there . . . . |
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(right) "Wait a minute . . . what the . . ." Monk Kip Barkhurst begins to realize that there's a little bit more going on than what meets his eyes.
(below, left) Lettuce Boy and the Musicians: Instructor's Aide's Brian Baker and Robert Vera, Nicole Neff, Assistant Instructor Kyra Gryphon and Junior Instructor's Aide Alex Daniels. |
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(left) Li, our yellow lion, chews up the monk's hat, while little Haoqi begs for a turn. This was lion dancer Dominique Dexter's first performance. Our monk looks thoroughly bummed about losing his hat. |
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(above)
Li and
Haoqi toss the hat back and forth between themselves, while our
monk gets an idea. What if this guy with the lettuce distracted those
ornery lions? Might he be able to get his hat back? (below, left) Hoody Hoo! It worked! The monk got his hat back, but he couldn't just leave well enough alone. No, no -- he just had to tease the lions with the lettuce. Bad idea, big fella. Here, Kip, our naughty monk, gets caught between the two lions. (below, right) And he's down! Haoqi and Li cooperate to trip up the naughty monk, and the lettuce is their reward. |
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(right) All's well that ends
well . . . Li delivers a lucky scroll to the monk.
(below, left and right) Our lions and monk take their bows after a job well done. |
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Hey -- we even made the news! Here's
a clip of the color photo on the front page of the Monday, February 10 Daily
Lobo. If you're interested in the paper that is "The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895", check out their website at www.dailylobo.com.
Questions? Comments?
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