Question for y'all, I need a quick opinion

[HopGar]

Our annual talent show is coming up and I was wondering if you guys think it would be a good idea for me to do some kind of Kung Fu demo. I'm already in the show and I was thinkin this would be something cool....

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[Martial Joe]

Personaly I would not come close to doing that ever...

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif IXIJoe KaveyIXIhttp://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif
I am Sharky's main man...

[HopGar]

thats what I was thinking but im still not too sure

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[jon]

If your doing it just to show off its proberly not the best idea[be honest with yourself here]
On the other hand if your doing it to promote your art and your going to actualy tell people what it is where it comes from and where they could learn it thats a totaly different story.
Make up your own mind but dont simply show your art for your own benifit.
Just how i would decide thats all :)

you cant win all the time but you cant always lose either...

[thumper]

when you say 'our annual talent show', do you mean a talent show going on at your kung fu school? i'm thinking you don't, cuz a talent show at a kung fu school would probably showcase skills that are not kung fu related. do it man! it's what you spend alot of time practicing (hopefully) and if that's true then you may have accumulated a measurable amount of skill which by a regular joe's standards would be a talent, so i'd say do it. as long as it's cool with your sifu, then there is nothing wrong with a couple of forms, or some self defense skills or a staff form, etc. i bet if you did it, you'd catch some ooh's and ahh's and that's what talent shows are for. who knows, you may even boost the enrollment at your school by a few heads.

'either you like reincarnation or the smell of carnations'

[SevenStar]

Do you have any particular reason for doing it, or do you just want to show off?

"Just because I joke around sometimes doesn't mean I'm serious about kung-fu.
" - nightair

[friday]

Hi Kong,

look into why you are interested in doing this. If you feel that you are doing the right thing, I wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks.

888

[joedoe]

My sifu always told me to never demonstrate to an audience that will not appreciate the art. If it were me, I would not do it.

cxxx[]:::::::::::>
You're fu(king up my chi

[Martial Joe]

Even if you did want to show off...Bad things will come...

http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif IXIJoe KaveyIXIhttp://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/lolup.gif
I am Sharky's main man...

[Sharky]

good call abandit. never show stuff to people who won't understand it the way it's supposed to be. that's why when girls (or people who aren't into hip hop) say to me " rhyme for me " i'm like nah cos i know they wouldn't get half the punches or understand half the vocab.

So i just bone them silly instead.

=================================
What we really need is chicks with a whole new kinda orifice - Fish

Sharky, I should expect this level of immaturity from you after seeing your post titled "Hm." regarding the woman that lives next door to you. I think everyone who unfortuneatly read that post is a bit more ignorant now for doing so. - Spectre

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[Johnny Hot Shot]

The anticipation of your performance would be great motivation for you to practice.

I don't think it would be showing off I think it would be cool.

Don't take these Kung Fu geeks too seriously :p

It's a "Talent Show" show your talent and have fun. ;)

"Life's a great Adventure, Mate"
Jacko Jackson

[Sharky]

or yeah just do that.

=================================
What we really need is chicks with a whole new kinda orifice - Fish

Sharky, I should expect this level of immaturity from you after seeing your post titled "Hm." regarding the woman that lives next door to you. I think everyone who unfortuneatly read that post is a bit more ignorant now for doing so. - Spectre

All i wanted was some RICE CAKES! Now? WE MUST BATTLE.

[brassmonkey]

If I were in your school I'd like to see some kung fu. A sword form would be nice to scare the hell out of everyone but be warned you may be labeled the rest of your high school days as some witty name like kungfu-ninja or something. On the upside there is a certain philosophy that says to get girl you have to get them to see what your best at to impress them so if you don't have a gf...

[scotty1]

What the people in the audience are like, but yeah, if you feel up for it, do it.

[HopGar]

thanks for your input. just to clarify: This is a HIGH SCHOOL TALENT SHOW, I'm a senior, and I'm already known as a kung fu guy - thats a story in of itself how that happened and mind you I was not showing off anything. I was actually thinking of doing it mainly because wrestling/martial arts is a big thing in my school, so keepin in with people's interests I would demonstate some kung fu. So now what do ya think now that you know all of that? Good idea or no?

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[Mojo]

Do the demo and try to have as much fun as you can.
One thing though, DO NOT perform a weapons form without first getting a signed permission slip from the Principle allowing you to bring your practice weapons onto high school grounds.

..............................
The Dude: Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber.

[Shaolindynasty]

If it's modern wushu I say do it. If it's traditional then that would depend of the style. People probally wouldn't appreciate somthing like Hsing Yi or the Hung Gar 5 animals.


www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net (http://www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net)

[Mojo]

I've done lots of Hsing-I demos and laypeople do appreciate seeing that style.

So there ! :D

..............................
The Dude: Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber.

[Shaolindynasty]

That's cool but I think of most people as wanting to see alot of high kicks and flips, ya know stuff that ooo's and ah's. No if there is some other MA's in the crowd Hsing Yi and other "non artistic" stuff would be greatly appreciated


www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net (http://www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net)

[CanadianBadAss]

Your talent would be doing forms? I think that’s kind of queer... you practice the forms so u can be a better fighter. That’s like a weight lifter showing off his skills by drinking a protein shake. Show them your real talent, have some one go on stage and beat the crap out of him.

|) /- | | |
| / |_| |__

[shaolinboxer]

Do it. Have fun. Enjoy creating your identity.

[apoweyn]

i don't get the 'don't show it to people who don't understand' argument.

how can they be expected to understand if we insist on preserving this veil of mystery? the reason why idiotic stereotypes about what we do are possible is twofold: first, people are bound to come up with an unrealistic view of what they don't understand (i.e., over-romanticizing it or discounting it entirely). second, if we never bother to replace those images with more realistic ones, the problem persists.

i say that if you can educate people, actually tell them the truth and then show them, then do it.


stuart b.

[Shaolindynasty]

Good point


www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net (http://www.shaolindynasty.cjb.net)

[apoweyn]

cheers shaolindynasty.

stuart b.

[Starchaser107]

knock yourself out kid.
you only live once
once at a time at the very least if youre into new age...
go for it.

"everything is everything"

[Kristoffer]

do what u feel like.. weapons catches the eye of spectators -- remember this.

~K~
"maybe not in combat.. but think of the chicks man, the chicks!" -- someone on the subject of back-flips in combat --

[apoweyn]

oh, i don't think there's any way he's getting a weapon into a high school auditorium, given current events. i don't care how innocuous it seems.

[HopGar]

Im probably gonna do a weapons form. Getting it in is no problem, I know the principal real well....he'll let.

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[Richie]

Ask your teach first.

For traditional kung fu go to www.taishingpekkwar.com (http://www.taishingpekkwar.com)

[Budokan]

I think if you approach it responsibly it will be a great way to cap off your senior year.

K. Mark Hoover

[HopGar]

I was thinking that too Budokan..Now I need to figure out how Im gonna learn the rest of the sword form or a staff form in 2 months.....

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[JNA]

Either one of 2 things would occur.
1) You'll get huge applause, you'll become hugely popular and you'll get a dont F* with me rep.
2) Youll get boo'ed off the stage, ridiculed and some a*holes will probably start a fight with you "to test your skills".
Weight it out and see if it's worth it, and if #2 happens, hey it's your last year of school anyway and you'll get to test your fighting ability. ;)
You have more balls than me in any event, I wouldn't of even considered performing, let alone Kungfu

"The Self Defense mentality" is one of escaping from a violent encounter unharmed. "The Warriors mentality" is one of taking out the enemy as quickly and efficient as possible- Ji Ji Ke (Ji Long feng). Which one do you have?

[HopGar]

Thats a gtood point and one reason why I'm so hesitant to do it...why else would I have asked, I dunno, I think I'm gonna go for it, besides, I intimidate most people just by lookin at them....especially freshmen :D , but its stil an issue

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[HopGar]

wish me luck, I'm gonna go for it. What I'm gonna do, I dunno, but we'll see.

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[Nexus]

I've performed tai chi in front of groups of laypeople, in fact, all summer long, groups of us practice in a park that is right by a main street. Often it attracts people who come the next weekend wanting to join our practice and we also welcome them to do so.

I've showed off tai chi forms to friends and friends of friends, and when I go out dancing I have integrated a lot of tai chi into the way that I dance, although its not obvious to a spectator. I got labeled the dancing daoist as a joke for a while with some of my tai chi friends, but tai chi does really compliment your ability to move the body around this and that way.

At some dances, where there is a breakdancing, its sometimes fun to get in the middle of a circle of people after some guys finishes breaking and do a tai chi form or something silly that you made up that people think is martial. I have seen no consequence of doing it except peoples comments about how cool it was as people are lacking exposure to any sort of authentic martial arts. I've had people say, wow, I just expected to see a bunch of punching and kicking and "ha's".

Of course what Abandit said about showing your art to a crowd that does not appreciate it also holds some merit. I enjoy displaying my tai chi forms when I feel like it because it is a means of expressing yourself through your actions rather then your words. People sit and philosophize the mind all day long, and tai chi allows an expression of body, mind, spirit, just like almost all our martial arts allow! Of course this can be a personal expression as well as a public one and each has its time and place.

So, my point is, the choice is entirely up to you in the end and it is likely that what comes of your actually doing the kung fu will be neither good nor bad, just different.

- Nexus

[wu_de36]

make sure you use the Jock Jams CD :)

[HopGar]

I faked a staff form during the summer..ppl thought it was real, it was funny.

Zvika

"He's not dead, 'es resting! Well if 'e's resting, I'll wake him up! 'Ello Mr. Polly Parrot...." -Monty Python, Dead Parrot Sketch

[Nexus]

Lol. Once you have the martial arts basics for your art, its really easy to fake forms and such. People don't know this from that, and at the end you get comments like: "When you did that twisting, snapping, arm thing, wow, that was amazing!" or even better is when someone who knows absolutely nothing about your form tries to relate and use words that they think are in martial syntax to explain what you were doing in your form to you!

I always find it odd when someone tries to tell you about your art and how you should improve it or could have done better even though you've spent the last 15 years training it and they just saw it for the first time. :rolleyes:

- Just wanted to add though that you often here in taichi and which comes to be true after you surpass beginning stages that in taichi there are no forms. In this sense, you can really have quite a bit of room to play around with different postures and movements as that is exactly what they are, postures and movements, transitions, learning to move from the dantien etc. -

- Nexus

[This message was edited by Nexus on 11-30-01 at 11:07 AM.]

[Fu-Pow]

My opinion is this.....

Do the performance. However, after the form demonstration I would show some pre-rehearsed applications of the form with a willing participant. Keep it simple. This way the form and the application will make sense to people.

After that I'd give the name and a brief history of your style and let people know where they can sign up if they want to.

That way you get to show off, but you are also doing it in a way that promotes your style and your martial arts school. Not just yourself!!!!!

Good luck whatever you decide. It takes some serious guts to get up in front of people to perform.

Fu-Pow

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