RYDE REGATTA KUNG FU DEMONSTRATION JULY 4TH 2010

Yesterday afternoon THE MARSTA performed before an audience of some 500 persons (give or take a few). The event was the second day of the annual event called “Ryde Regatta” (on Ryde Esplanade on the Isle Of Wight) and this was the first time we had been asked to provide  a display. 

Our diplay was just over 45 minutes long and kicked of (literally!) with a very impressive display of Chinese Kungfu from youngsters (”Young Dragons” as I call my junior Kungfu programme) many of whom had never performed their skills before an audience. Out of the 80 or so that I teach upon a weekly basis, 30 turned out and they all did amazingly well.

Led by the very noisy and powerful Orange Sash student Nikki Reilly of Love Lane Primary School in West Cowes they all demonstrated kicks, punches, jumps and self defence techniques with confidence and spirit. Some had travelled from as far away as Shanklin and West Cowes bringing with them their parents, family and friends.

Dexter, Shanelle, Lucy and Erin – the “Priory School Young Dragons” delegation!

Following them was my senior YD group but of my seven seniors only two could make it – Adam and Adam! Together they performed self defence techniques including throws and take-downs as well as a Longevity Exercise and a two-man Limbs-Bashing sequence. To end with they did push ups on their fists – not so easy upon a hard grassy floor!

My adult kungfu group (Sanshangong) was attended by 50% of my overall group and here we demonstrated Crane Style Kung Fu, Dragon Style Kung Fu, Five Ancestor Fist Style Kung Fu, Chicken Style Kung Fu, Wing Chun Style Kung Fu (made famous by Bruce Lee), Praying Mantis Style Kung Fu and, to close, a demonstration with a real  Chinese spear (by a fifteen pupil of Ryde High school.

Jacob, Nick and Roly perform Dragon Style Kung Fu

A lot of our demonstration this warm and sunny afternoon involved two-man sequences of attack and defence and even two-against one sequences. As I am teaching some Family-classes we also had a ‘father, daughter and son team ’ demonstration where they all fought against each other upon  a rotation basis.       

The final demonstration of this martial arts showcase was a solo performance of Chen-Style Taijiquan (Tai Chi) by Lawrence Bridgeland and a group performance of the Yang-Style 24 Step Taijiquan form led by myself. This was followed by Lawrence throwing me all over the earthy and dusty floor as he showed the audience just how a slow-moving meditation exercise is also a formidable and wholly functional self defence art-form. (Actually, the Chinese call Taijiquan a fighting art whilst I prefer to call it, publically, a self-defence discipline.)

And so that was our demonstration. I am so very grateful to all those that participated in our demonstrations and to all those that supported our performance one way or another yesterday afternoon. Thank you very much indeed! 

More photos to follow…and maybe even a video clip or two!

Watch this space…