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Saturday & Sunday September 21 & 22, 2002 Whew! Three full shows on Saturday and a much truncated let's-just-horse-around set on Sunday. No wonder we all got silly! True, the crowds weren't huge -- especially on the second day, when a giant windstorm blew down all the tents, amusements and booths and even put the pony rides out of commission. BUT, that doesn't mean the fun wasn't big! It all started with a bizarre idea, "Hey! Let's do a two person butterfly kick." Leave it to the crazy blonde boy, Jonah . . . and that Amir kid can be talked into anything! |
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Ah, Jonah. Butterfly kick is both legs straight, chest facing down, and -- |
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Hey, look! It the ancient Chinese wushu
pretzel trick! Just don't let go Amir! Whatever you do just don't let gooo -- |
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-- ooooohhh!!!! |
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Here's what's REALLY scary... "Wow! That looked like fun! Let US try it!" At right, James Cole and Michael Panto give it a whirl. Literally. And with about as much success. |
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But what was really needed was a woman's touch.
Gold medalist Diana Ma (with James Cole) gets it right the first time.
Actually, it's an neat little trick, once each person gets the hang of
giving the other a bit of extra lift. Still, the ponies seems monumentally unimpressed. |
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The versatile world of wushu: our crew head-bangs and stretches at the same time. Note the nifty little surfer 'hang ten' finger thingee. What a bunch of hams... |
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Everybody's warmed up, stretched out and ready to
rock, so on with the show! Ann Marie Palmieri does the back walkover. |
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(left) Just look at Alex
Daniels' take on this skill. Is that gross, or what? She's got a
full hyper-split. In the air!
(below) Ann Marie Palmieri and National Champion Chris Baca wield three-tip lances in a kung fu weapons form. |
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"Look! It's a bird; it's a plane -- no!
It's SUPER MANtis!" We're not sure what James is pointing at, but that definitely is Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian playing Xiao Tang Lang, a kung fu mantis set. |
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(left) Paio Liang snags the
lettuce in the Choy Ching lion dance, while a disappointed Li has a tantrum.
That's Danielle Stender as the monk, with James Esparza and Diana Ma as Piao
Liang, and Michael Panto and Kip Barkhurst as Li.
(below) Lillie Vosa, Ann Marie Palmieri, State Champion Toby Baca III and Nick Montoya perform a wushu double dagger set. |
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| James Cole and Monique Cordova block with double head spear in reverse bow stance. |
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(left) Li the Southern
Chinese Lion (Diana Ma and James Esparza) gingerly approaches the Naughty
Monk (Kip Barkhurst) in the Drunken Lion dance.
(below) Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian and State Champion Nancy Nguyen perform a modern wushu straight sword set. |
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(right) Jonah Donnarumma's
kung fu monkey staff routine always impresses and thrills.
(below) Johnathan Padilla, Lan Nguyen, and Jonah Donnarumma drop and chop low in Dao Yi, a beginner's wushu broadsword set. |
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(left) The beginner's kung fu set, Kung Lik Kuen played by Nick Montoya, Kristine Dang, Danielle Stender, Ann Marie Palmieri and Erich Vera. |
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(right) Danielle Stender as
the Choy Ching monk strives valiantly to retrieve her hat from the
mischievous Li (played by Kip Barkhurst and Michael Panto). In the
background, Piao Liang (James 'Sparky' Esparza and Lion Dance Team Leader
Diana Ma) groom as Mushu looks sagely on.
(below) Mushu the dragon soars above the audience, a tethered balloon in the background. |
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(left) Reserve National
Champion Monique Cordova lands a cartwheel in splits. (below) Monique Cordova, Jason Padilla and Lillie Vosa perform a kung fu form with the exotic wind and fire wheels. |
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(right) Instructor's Aide
James Cole and Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova wield the wushu
double head spear.
(below) Piao Liang and Li perform the Double Lion Welcome dance. |
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Team Leader Amir Shirkhorshidian begins the kung fu praying mantis set, Xiao Tang Lang. |
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(right) Piao Liang attacks an
imaginary Nian (a legendary monster) in the Double Lion Welcome.
Looking at her intricately painted, sequined and mirrored head, its easy to
see why her name means "beautiful" or "pretty".
(below) Of course, Mushu is no slouch is the gorgeous department, either. Here he chases the celestial pearl of wisdom through the heavens. |
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(left) Reserve National Champion Monique Cordova and Lillie Vosa in a kung fu wind and fire wheels set. |
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Take a bow, team -- you've earned it with another
series of fantastic shows. Just how fantastic you're about to find
out. You see, you never know just who will be watching at these
events, and this time someone in the audience was a promoter. Soon
you'll be on your way to a movie ranch . . . but that's a subject for
another day! Questions? Comments?
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