MARTIAL ARTISTRY SHAOLIN KUNG FU & CHINESE WUSHU
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
ONLINE SCRAPBOOK - JULY THROUGH DECEMBER 2016
December, 2016
December was a busy month at Martial Artistry Shaolin Kung Fu and Chinese Wushu, and the season’s festivities forced us to abandon our typical sash presentation format in favor of one that allowed for students to test for new sashes, yet be home with their families for the holidays, so there was no opportunity for a group photo. Fortunately, a number of our students posed the month before for school photos, so we were able to get at least some pictures.
We had a nice, large testing group for our kung fu classes, and here’s a list of those receiving new sash ranks in the martial arts:
JULIE GASCHLER: Nian Qing Hu Quan 年轻虎拳 (Young Tiger Boxing) for Purple sash
SILVIA COFFEY: Xiao Kai Men 小开门 (Little Open Gate) for Green-white Sash
KEITH WEBER: Tan Tui San 弹腿三 (Spring Leg Three) for Orange-black sash
CRAIG GOLDSMITH: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
KAEDE CARROLL: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
KEL COOK: Xiao Tan Tui Yi 小弹腿一 (Little Spring Leg One) for Yellow-white sash
IVANA GEORGIEVOVA: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
DAVID WATERMAN: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
LAWSON: Xiao Long Liu 小龙六 (Little Dragon Six) for White-red sash
CORBIN: Xiao Long San 小龙三 (Little Dragon Three) for White-green sash
EZRA: Xiao Long Er 小龙二 (Little Dragon Two) for White-orange sash
RUSSEL: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash
THOMAS: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash
BENJAMIN: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash
Congratulations to all those who received promotions in our kung fu and wushu classes in Albuquerque!
November 26, 2016
November was quite the month for our kung fu school, as – along with a talented group of underbelts - we welcomed our third black sash, Diana Ma. Unlike many other schools, where rank is given quickly on either a time schedule or a pay-to-play basis, black sashes here are hard-earned and gloriously celebrated, with plaques and banners, ceremonies and lion dancing.
Diana chose to present Bagua Zhang 八卦掌 (Eight Trigram Palm) for her black sash. The viewing benches were filled to capacity, and the audience spilled out across the floor of the martial arts school.
After the exhibition of this complex and beautiful internal form and the multiple ceremonies of presentation to the ancestors of our lineage, three of Martial Artistry’s cadre of ten Chinese lions rendered to Diana, each in turn, the other accoutrements of her rank.
First was her black sash, presented by Li. Our yellow lion, Li, has special significance for Diana, as she played his head throughout her tenure as lion dance team leader for our wushu demonstration team, Steel Phoenix. For this ceremony, Li was played by Monique Renee Cordova (head) and Ellie Wilson (tail).
Cao-Cao, our kung fu school’s fighting lion, was chosen to convey Diana’s plaque commemorating her accomplishment. Cao-Cao was played by Christina Maze (head) and Keith Weber (tail). The raw materials for Cao-Cao's new grey and black beard were donated by Dorothy Stender, and lovingly crafted by Monique Renee Curley, who also tested for her brown sash that day.
Lastly, Fu, our senior lion, played by lion dance team leaders Dani and Edi Juares, (head and tail, respectively), presented Diana’s black sash banner with her Wu family name, to be displayed proudly at our wushuguan.
A final lion dance, with three big bows, closed the celebration.
The lion dancing was greatly enhanced by the addition of a new gong stand, made by Todd Coffey. Our musicians for the day’s Chinese lion dances were Kevin Huang (drummer), KJ McIver (gongs), and George Bennett (cymbals).
Afterward, the martial arts presentation group posed with their new sashes, listed below with the kung fu forms they presented.
DIANA MA (巫狮妈): Bagua Zhang 八卦掌 (Eight Trigram Palm) for 1st Degree Black Sash
MONIQUE RENEE CURLEY: Fanzi Quan 翻子拳 (Tumbling Fist) for Brown Sash
GEORGE BENNETT: He Shan 鹤扇 (Crane Fan) for Green-black Sash
KEL COOK: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
MILA LENSI: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
ADDISON EPPS: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
OTTO: Xiao Long San 小龙三 (Little Dragon Three) for White-green sash
Congratulations, all!
October 29, 2016
Five martial arts rank promotions were awarded at our kung fu school in the month of October.
JOSEPH BUTNER: Huangjin Feng Shuang Bishou 黄金凤双匕首 (Golden Phoenix Double Daggers) for Purple-white
KJ McIVER: He Shan 鹤扇 (Crane Fan) for Green-black Sash
KEITH WEBER: Tan Tui Er 弹腿二 (Spring Leg Two) for Orange-white sash
KEL COOK: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
FLYNN: Xiao Long Liu 小龙六 (Little Dragon Six) for White-red sash
Congratulations, all!
September 24, 2016
An extra-large group of students from our kung fu classes earned new ranks this month in Albuquerque.
Congratulations go out to:
ANDRES LUCERO: Tan Tui San 弹腿三 (Spring Leg Three) for Orange-black sash
SASKIA KUNG: Tan Tui San 弹腿三 (Spring Leg Three) for Orange-black sash
BRUCE KING: Tan Tui San 弹腿三 (Spring Leg Three) for Orange-black sash
CHRISTINA MAZE: Tan Tui San 弹腿三 (Spring Leg Three) for Orange-black sash
ADAM MAXWELL: Tan Tui Er 弹腿二 (Spring Leg Two) for Orange-white sash
DANIKA BODMER: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
VANESSA PINO: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
ETHAN JOHNSON: Xiao Tan Tui Er 小弹腿二 (Little Spring Leg Two) for Yellow-black sash
CARLEY MAZE: Xiao Tan Tui Er 小弹腿二 (Little Spring Leg Two) for Yellow-black sash
IO KALAPA: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
BAXTER: Xiao Long Qi 小龙七 (Little Dragon Seven) for White-brown sash
LANDON: Xiao Long Si 小龙四 (Little Dragon Four) for White-blue sash
INDIANA: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash
Special congratulations go out to Baxter, who graduated from the Little Dragons martial arts class and into the group wushu class. Good job to all our Albuquerque martial artists.
August 27, 2016
Adults and kids alike find the hard work on their kung fu during classes pays off in improving their martial arts skills.
It also pays off on quicker advancement. Receiving new ranks during our August presentations were:
ELLIE WILSON: Dao Yi 刀一 (Broadsword One) for Blue-Black Sash
GALE BORKENHAGEN: Xiao Huo Long 小火龙 (Small Fire Dragon) for Blue-White Sash
KEVIN HUANG: He Shan 鹤扇 (Crane Fan) for Green-black Sash
KEITH WEBER: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
KAEDE CARROLL: Xiao Tan Tui Er 小弹腿二 (Little Spring Leg Two) for Yellow-black sash
ADAN ORNELAS: Xiao Quan 小拳 (Little Fist) for Yellow sash
Congratulations to our Albuquerque martial artists!
July 30, 2016
Albuquerque martial arts students from our adult and kid’s kung fu classes demonstrated their martial arts skills to the instructors at Martial Artistry Shaolin Kung Fu and Chinese Wushu. Congratulations for new ranks go out to:
ED MCGINNIS: Huangjin Feng Shuang Bishou 黄金凤双匕首 (Golden Phoenix Double Daggers) for Purple-white
DANI JUARES: Huangjin Feng Shuang Bishou 黄金凤双匕首 (Golden Phoenix Double Daggers) for Purple-white
EDI JUARES: Huangjin Feng Shuang Bishou 黄金凤双匕首 (Golden Phoenix Double Daggers) for Purple-white
JAMES KEY: Kung Lik Kuen (Power Fist Form) for Green Sash
BRUCE KING: Tan Tui Er 弹腿二 (Spring Leg Two) for Orange-white sash
GISELLE FERREIRA: Tan Tui Yi 弹腿一 (Spring Leg One) for Orange sash
CRAIG GOLDSMITH: Xiao Tan Tui Er 小弹腿二(Little Spring Leg Two) for Yellow-black sash
JULIAN: Xiao Long San 小龙三 (Little Dragon Three) for White-green sash
CORBIN: Xiao Long Er 小龙二 (Little Dragon Two) for White-orange sash
NICHOLAS: Xiao Long Er 小龙二 (Little Dragon Two) for White-orange sash
OTTO: Xiao Long Er 小龙二 (Little Dragon Two) for White-orange sash
EZRA: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash
LUIS: Xiao Long Yi 小龙一 (Little Dragon One) for White-yellow sash