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Saturday November 16, 2002
This show was jinxed, no two ways about it!
First, we had a really tight and exacting set-up schedule. Second, we
had an even tighter squeeze on the stage: a mere 13 x 20 feet. Worse
yet, the tiny stage was surrounded on three sides by walls -- basically
meaning that if one did a long weapon, such as staff or spear, one had to
pretty much stand in one spot.
(right: Chris Baca with
three-tip lance)
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Could it get any more challenging?
Of course...
Although we were promised a clear stage, when
we got there, we found we were sharing it with -- a piano!
(left, Albert Vera somehow manages to
pull off an aerial. Barely.) |
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That's our friend, Mr. Piano, at right. I
suppose we should thank our lucky stars it wasn't a baby grand. Could
it get any worse? Yes . . .
Everybody rushed off at the appropriate time.
Sifu locked up, got into the birdmobile, turned the key and . . .
Nothing.
(at right, Jonah Donnarumma does a back
flip. See what we mean about the tiny stage?) |
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Nothing at all.
(left: Amir Shirkhorshidian lands a flying lotus
into bow stance in a modern wushu routine) |
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Not even a dying cough from the
engine.
The only people who hadn't left
yet were a bunch of teen and pre-teen girls. It's too bad nobody had
the presence of mind to get a photo of these skinny little girls pushing the
huge birdmobile out of its spot and into the parking lot so the jumper
cables could reach it.
(right: James Cole plays double hook
swords) (far
right: Chris Baca walks on his hands) |
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But all that effort proved for naught. In
the end, even the jumper cables couldn't get the birdmobile started.
Things looked pretty grim . . . Which
brings us to the question:
(left: Nancy Nguyen, Monique Cordova and
Lillie Vosa pose in look at moon balance) |
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How did we ever manage before cell phones?
Long story short, calls were made, members with
pick-up trucks and mini-vans rushed back to the school, the Birdmobile was
unloaded, contents were reloaded into the other vehicles, and we were on our
way.
(right: Chris Baca wields the kung fu double
axes) |
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No surprise that we didn't make our
half-hour window for a pre-show set up. But, the only other act that
night was on before us, and then the stage was ours for the rest of the
evening. (left:
Danielle Stender and Kristine Dang perform kung fu warfan) |
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While in the end it affected nothing, it still was stress with a capital S! (right: James Cole pops a
wushu aerial) |
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Fortunately, the audience proved worth the effort -- one of the most receptive and interactive crowds we've ever had
the pleasure to entertain. Li's antics especially were a huge hit.
(left: "Where is that darned lion?"
Kip Barkhurst, the "Naughty Monk" looks for Li)
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We did two shows with only a 45 minute break in
between, but many in the audience not only watched both shows, but then
asked if we would do a third one for them!
(right: No matter where Kip looks, he just
can't find that sneaky Li. James Esparza and Lion Dance Team Leader
Diana Ma played Li in this set.) |
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That the team could do so much in such a small
area was especially impressive.
(left, Alex Daniels does continuous back walkover across the stage) |
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(right)
The jumps they got while chopping their steps
were just amazing. Look at the air Senior Student Amir Shirkhorshidian
gets on his wushu jump front (compare his height to the top of the door). |
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(right)
Albert Vera and Danielle Stender
play the warfan. |
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(left)
Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova
confronts her imaginary opponent in a Northern Dragon kung fu set. |
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(left)
National Champion Chris Baca back handsprings.
BTW: He's going to the World Championships later this year -- we'll keep you
posted on how he fares. |
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(left)
James Cole somehow managed to fit a back
handspring, layout-step out combination onto the stage. |
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(left)
Li's players perform a stack. |
(right)
Junior Instructor's Aide Danielle Stender rolls past an imaginary attack and
thrusts with the Chinese wushu sabre, or dao.
(below)
State Champion Nancy Nguyen, Kristine Dang and National Champion Lan
Nguyen pose in splits. |
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(left)
Little Kristine Dang performs continuous tornado
into splits. |
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(left)
Gorgeous of line and perfectly in sync, Danielle
Stender and Lillie Vosa present the kung fu Crane fan. |
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(left)
State Champion James Cole strikes a pose in wushu hook
swords. |
(right)
State Champion Nancy Nguyen leaps into splits in
wushu straight sword, or jian.
(below)
National Champion Lan Nguyen, State Champion Nancy Nguyen, Albert
Vera and Kristine Dang fall into splits from a side kick. |
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A little story: Why You Should Never Tease
a Lion. Once upon a time a mischievous
lion named Li snuck up on a meditating monk and stole his hat (left).
The monk distracted the lion and retrieved his hat by offering the lion
lettuce. Then, to get even, the monk grabbed the lettuce and began to
tease the lion. Unable to catch the monk, Li finally tripped the monk
(lower left). Li got the lettuce, and revenge, by using
the monk as a tree (lower right).
Yuck! Never tease a lion . . . |
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(right) Reserve National
Champion Monique Cordova falls into splits from the wushu technique "skyward
kick with sole". |
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(left)
National Champion Lan Nguyen and State Champion
Nancy Nguyen demonstrate two phases of the same wushu technique. Nancy
is just bringing her foot out from behind her head to start her descent,
while Lan is already on her way to the floor. |
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(right)
Jonah Donnarumma leaps over the monkey staff in a
modern wushu Hou Gun routine. |
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(right)
Reserve National Champion Monique
Cordova wields the rare and exotic Chinese kung fu weapons, wind and fire
wheels. |
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(right)
Jonah Donnarumma's monkey staff was popular as
always, but we had a brief scare when he hit the back wall as he was
descending from the back tuck in this routine. |
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(left)
State Champion James Cole blocks an imaginary
opponent's attack with linked double hook swords. |
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(right)
It's difficult to have good form when you're
cramped, but one certainly can't fault Jonah on his air in this photo of his
aerial cartwheel. |
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(left)
State Champion James Cole and Team Leader Amir
Shirkhorshidian roll to a kneel and claw in the Young Tiger Boxing routine,
a modern wushu tiger set. |
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(right)
This is a good shot of the stage and audience.
The doors to the storage rooms were a life saver -- we used them as the
"wings", and you can see Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian "waiting in the
wings" to go on with his staff.
On stage are Albert Vera and Reserve National
Champion Monique Cordova doing a kung fu war fan set. Just look at
Albert's side kick! |
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(left)
Senior Student Amir Shirkhorshidian performs a
modern wushu tornado kick, taking off, kicking, and landing on the same leg! |
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(left)
State Champion Nancy Nguyen strikes a dramatic
wushu pose with the straight sword. |
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We've already received a
letter from the County Extension Service praising our show and asking us to
perform again. It was a great opportunity to test the versatility of
our troupe with the unusual stage, and the members of Steel Phoenix came
through with shining colors. Congratulations, all! Questions? Comments?
Email Martial Artistry
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