Martial Artistry: Shaolin kung fu, wushu, tai chi, Chinese lion and dragon dancing and weapons in Albuquerque, NM: Making a Chinese Lion; Eye-Opening Ceremony for Southern Lion

Saturday May 10, 2003 Albuquerque, NM Martial Artistry's Team Steel Phoenix was again invited by the University of New Mexico Lobos to entertain the crowds, this time at a special promotional baseball game.
	*(left)* But first, let's play frisbee! That impressive vertical leap all wushu stylists cultivate sure comes in handy here. "It's not karate!"
*(right)* Sparky decides to catch the frisbee with his foot. Soon, the frisbee was demolished. How'd *that* happen? "But it IS the coolest martial art in the universe!"
	Time for the show. We brought all three lions to this one: Li, our yellow lion, Piao Liang, our Mighty Matriarch, and Haoqi, our ornery baby lion. *(left)* Piao Liang, played by Dominique Dexter and Brian Baker, gazes about in a stack.
*(right)* Mantis fighter Amir Shirkhorshidian faces off with snake fist fighter Albert Vera in an open hand fighting set. In the background, Piao Liang seems mightily unimpressed.
	*(left)* Obviously, that's some mighty strong jiu ! Sparky Esparza does of convincing job of playing the inebriated traveler in the Drunken Lion Dance. In the background, Li watches attentively. You can see the green mirror cover if you look closely. Li was played in this dance by Team Leader Diana Ma and Brian Baker.
*(right)* It's definitely a butterfly twist, and it's either James Cole or Jonah Donnarumma. In the background, that's Kyra Gryphon on the drum. "They sure don't do this in karate and tae kwon do!"
	*(left)* Li goes after Danielle Stender's hat. That's quite the tongue there, Li! Team Leader Diana Ma and Brian Baker played Li in this dance, the Choy Ching, while Dominique Dexter and Robert Vera played Haoqi. I think...
*(right)* A head shot of our beautiful Chinese lion girl. We're especially proud of this one, as we made most of her ourselves. *(below)* The conclusion of the Choy Ching lion dance. From left to right, Haoqi, played by Dominique Dexter and Robert Vera, our Monk, played by Danielle Stender, and Li, played by Diana Ma and James Esparza.

Martial Artistry's Team Steal Phoenix at the conclusion of yet another successful show!

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Saturday May 17, 2003 Albuquerque, NM It was National Senior Center Week, and Martial Artistry's Team Steel Phoenix was tapped the entertain both young and old at the Monzano Mesa Multi-Generational Center. There are many martial arts, such as karate and tae kwon do, but only kung fu and wushu cultivate the grace, power and dynamic beauty displayed here by Lillie Vosa as she plays the war fan.
		It's way too much fun to practice an art that is thousands of years old, instead of mere decades. There's a richness and diversity to kung fu and wushu that is available in no other martial art. Take Chinese Lion Dancing. Who would have thought that dressing up in a costume had something to do with self-defense?
	A fighting routine gets a big response from our audience. Albert Vera does an aerial kick ... ... and sends Amir flying.
Amir Shirkhorshidian returns the favor later, though, when Albert tries to come in for a choke hold, kicking him high into the air to do a face plant on the ground. It's all safe, though. These guys are well trained. In the background, our lions remain unimpressed...

Jonah Donnarumma pops a butterfly kick as he wields the shuangdao, or double sabres.
		*(left)* Amir rolls and claws in a tiger form. Tiger is one of the famous "Five Animals of Shaolin". *(right)* Alex Daniels levitates her super high side kick, holding it aloft.
*(right)* Li, our yellow lion played by Team Leader Diana Ma and Sparky Esparza, does drunken stepping. That's Kip Barkhurst in the foreground, and Kyra Gryphon in the background on drums.
		*(left)* Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova with plays the feng huo lun, or wind and fire wheels. Questions? Comments? Email Martial Artistry