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Sunday September 8, 2002 There's no rest for the weary -- or the Martial Artistry wushu crew -- when the State Fair is in town. We had four kung fu, wushu, lion and dragon dance exhibitions on this day (not counting all the times we were invited on stage with other acts) and that makes for thirsty work! At right, Team Steel Phoenix fills one of the water coolers via a cup brigade. With everybody pitching in, the task was accomplished swiftly, and, as usual, with much giggling. That's Nick Montoya in the foreground, and Diana Ma demonstrating the giggling in the rear. |
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As mentioned in our last installment, we made friends with many of the other acts, both on the Boxcar Stage and in other venues. We were even asked to join in during many of the shows. At left, Li the Chinese Lion joins with T-Bone and his merry helpers as they sing along with "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". | ||
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(below) News spread fast of our exhibitions, and people began queuing up to watch 20 to 30 minutes before showtime. |
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(below) What Sifu says:
". . . and don't forget that even numbers clear the mats immediately
after the show, and odd numbers . . . " What the team members hear: ". . . blah-blah-blah-blah-blah . . . " |
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| (below) But, you really can't complain when the gang snaps to like this. | |||
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Like many immature stars for whom fame comes with
an unbearable swiftness, our young lion Li succumbed to the evils of drink .
. . Just kidding. Here Li performs the Drunken Lion dance. It's a scream to hear all the kids in the audience yelling at Li that he's a bad boy. That's Kip Barkhurst playing the Naughty Monk, Kyra Gryphon overseeing the gong, and James Esparza and Lion Dance Team Leader Diana Ma playing Li. |
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Various stages of aerial and not-so-aerial
cartwheel, during the Young Tiger Boxing set. At far left, James Cole
throws his effortlessly. Amir Shirkhorshidian, in the middle,
goes just a little too far over to make it, and had to tap the ground to
finish. Chris Baca goes WAY over his knee, and already has his first
hand down almost by the time his right foot leaves the ground. Actually, all three of these guys can do an aerial -- it was just one of those days . . . |
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Look at those smiles. What can Alex Daniels
possibly find to smirk about, especially when she's in a position like that?
The audience didn't know whether to grin or groan. Some did both. As for Ms. Cordova, she's probably just happy to have finished pulling her foot from behind her head, especially since she had to do it standing balanced on the other leg. Now we can EASILY understand why Michael Panto looks so happy. He did NOT have to tie his body in a knot, and he was the only one on the stage at the moment to have had that luxury. Hey, it's tough being the straight man, but somebody's gotta do it. |
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Now THIS is a butterfly twist -- often attempted, seldom done correctly. Note the full horizontal position achieved here by Jonah Donnarumma. Mr. Donnarumma is the only wushu stylist in Albuquerque we've seen able to properly execute this technique. And look at that air! Zoom! Almost right over Kyra Gryphon's head! | ||
| The ever-photogenic Li. |
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National Champion Lan Nguyen and State Champion Monique Cordova open up a bit to begin their fall into splits from the skyward kick with sole, often seen in ditangquan (ground-tumbling boxing) and yingzhaoquan (eagle claw boxing). | ||
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Piao Liang, played by Gold Medalist Diana Ma with Harry Gomes, cavorts with Li, played by Michael Panto and James Esparza, during the Double Lion Welcome dance. That's Kip Barkhurst in the background playing the cymbals. |
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This was the season for aerial cartwheels. Here, Ann Marie Palmieri demonstrates her take on the skill. Others who got it this season were Alex Daniels, Chris Baca, Amir Shirkhorshidian, Nicole Neff, Jonah Donnarumma, Albert Vera and John Birkholz. Of course, a number of our other team members already had the skill. It's so exciting to see all these students achieve this wushu skill! |
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Ouch! Lan!!! National Champion Lan Nguyen hauls that foot aloft in skyward kick with sole. |
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Kung fu and wushu exhibition team leader Amir Shirkhorshidian presses with straight sword. In the background, Li, our Chinese lion, seems IMpressed. | ||
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(right) National Champion Chris Baca presents Shaolin
Shuangdao.
(below) Erich Vera, Kristine Dang, Albert Vera and Lillie Vosa in Kung Lik Kuen, a classical kung fu favorite. |
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Instructor's Aide Jonah Donnarumma and National Champion Lan Nguyen push palm with dao behind in a modern wushu beginner's broadsword routine. Just look at those gong bu, or bow stances. Nice job you two! | ||
| Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian side kicks from a prone position after a tornado kick into a side fall, a technique seen in nanquan (Southern boxing) and ditangquan (ground tumbling boxing). |
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Lillie Vosa displays a nice pubu (crouch or dragon stance) at the conclusion of a wheelarm. | ||
| Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova plays the shuang bishou (double daggers) in the modern wushu form Huangjinde Feng Shuang Bishou (Golden Phoenix Double Daggers). This is the first double weapon routine learned by students in the group classes at Martial Artistry. |
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| When Instructor's Aide Jonah Donnarumma plays the monkey staff, just about anything can become a prop for his routine. Here, the boxcars that give the Boxcar Pavilion its name become just the thing for Jonah to launch off of for a back flip over his staff. | |||
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(left) Here's a better shot
of that final kick into the flip. Also of the rope.
(below) Nicole Neff, Jonah Donnarumma, James Cole and Amir Shirkhorshidian 'cut with palms in horse riding step', a movement from the International Nanquan Compulsory. Fix those toes, gang! |
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(above) Piao Liang and Li
execute a stack in the Double Lion Welcome. Harry Gomes and Gold
Medalist Diana Ma play Piao Liang in this set, with Michael Panto and James
Esparza as Li the yellow lion. Kip Barkhurst mans the cymbals, Kyra
Gryphon the drum, and Lillie Vosa the gong.
(right) Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova and National Champion Chris Baca play the yuanyang tidao, or Mandarin Duck Razors. These rare and unusual weapons attract a lot of attention! |
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(below) Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian strikes a dramatic crouch stance pose with jian, or straight sword, as Piao Liang and Li appear to doze. |
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(left) State Champion Toby
Baca and Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova thrust with broadsword
out of a forward roll. Note how the force of the thrust actually bends
the spring steel blades. Toby's is bent to a 90 degree angle. In
the background, Jonah Donnarumma and Jason Padilla await their turns.
(below) Walking stacked is a difficult lion dancing skill, and in the Choi Ching, Piao Liang walks all the way across the stage to steal the lettuce from young Li. |
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(right) Team Leader Amir
Shirkhorshidian plays tanglang or praying mantis.
(below) Our beginner's team presents the second half of Kung Lik Kuen. As you can see, their gongbu or bow stance, is not quite so deep and strong as those of our intermediate level students. Performing this traditional kung fu set are Ann Marie Palmieri, Kristine Dang, Nick Montoya, Danielle Stender, Erich Vera, Alex Daniels and Albert Vera. |
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(left) Whew! Three full
shows and then the parade. But, it's all good fun, and here are the
smiles to prove it. From left to right, these grins belong to the
pterodactyl from the Dr. Rock's Dinosaur Adventure, Mushu, our 75 foot
Chinese dragon, and James "Sparky" Esparza, who is studying to be a doctor
(probably taking courses like 'Golf 101' and 'Advanced Nurse Haranguing'). Cute hat, Sparky!
(below) Mushu coils in the background (its a dragon thing, you wouldn't understand) as Kristine Dang does skyward kick with sole and Jonah Donnarumma plays the monkey staff in the State Fair parade. |
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Flushed, tired and sweaty, we bring another State
Fair to a close. Still smiling, of course. But that's just us. It's hard work to be the best, but it's great fun, too. Hope you'll join us!
Questions? Comments?
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