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  1. #1
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    Matthew Ahmet

    I caught a preview of NBC's new reality show, Superstars of Dance, and there were performers in monk robes jumping about, doing what looked like a typical Shaolin-style demo. I couldn't find a vid of the ad yet. Anyone else see it?

    NBC Schedule Changes to Impact Four Nights
    Encore telecasts of SVU will step into the Wednesday 9 p.m. hour in January, giving struggling Life a much-needed break...

    ...Superstars of Dance, a new reality/competition from the producers of So You Think You Can Dance?, will open with a two-hour installment on Sunday, Jan. 4 from 9-11 p.m. One night later it moves into its regularly scheduled Monday 8-10 p.m. block, leading into Ryan Seacrest relationship-driven hour Momma’s Boys. Tuesdays will remain unchanged care of The Biggest Loser: Couples (which returns on January 6), followed by Law & Order: SVU.
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  2. #2
    Wouldn't surprise me! I'm noticing a lot of the younger kung fu students are also break dancing and learning hip-hop moves. Others are taking gymnastics. Good diversity.

  3. #3
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    I saw the ad again last night on NBC during Heroes

    Still nothing on the NBC site about it though. The ad promotes it as a global competition and the segment with the Shaolin-robe clad dancers looks like a typical Shaolin show demo.

    I've never been that into dance shows, but I may have to tune into this one. If they win - dang - that'd be coverworthy.
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    i saw the commercial. looked like they took scenes from the wheel of life dvd.

  5. #5
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EutEn0B32Ag


    Also, watched NatGeo's Secrets of the Kung Fu Temple this past Thursday. They showed footage of a Belgian coreographer working with the monks on a new show that was to debut in London. Apparently the abbot gave the thumbs up on it. I wonder if the group that is performing in this new show is official or "unofficial"....
    "The true meaning of a given movement in a form is not its application, but rather the unlimited potential of the mind to provide muscular and skeletal support for that movement." Gregory Fong

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    I caught a preview of NBC's new reality show, Superstars of Dance, and there were performers in monk robes jumping about, doing what looked like a typical Shaolin-style demo. I couldn't find a vid of the ad yet. Anyone else see it?
    I was wondering who would start this thread.

    I've seen the commercial/promo at least 4 times. One side says, "Huh?" and the other says, "Oh well".

    If these are "Shaolin Monks" then clearly the legitmacy of Shaolin in the eyes of the public has taken another blow.

  7. #7
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    legitmacy (sp) of Shaolin in the eyes of the public

    I disagree, Nebuchadnezzar. You're coming from a martial myopic position. For centuries, Shaolin kung fu has been, among other things, a performing art. Sure, there's traditional practice and combat training and all that stuff, but there's also performance. One of the biggest problems with conceptualizing Shaolin is that many martial artists don't know the history. They believe that Shaolin can only be one thing - traditional or not ('not' is usually interpreted as 'performance' or 'modern wushu'). The truth of the matter is that performance is a part of the tradition and has been for centuries. There's nothing wrong with martial performance. You can't to use it in a fight, but it's very entertaining to the general public. And any outreach to the general public is a good thing. The more people understand about Shaolin, the better. Other religious traditions have gone into performance such as ritual dances (ie. whirling dervishes, native sun dances, yogic vinyasa) and song (church chorus, chanting). It's a way to reach those who don't do martial arts and never will.

    I do agree with TaichiMantis in wondering if it's official or not. I'm interested in that mostly because I follow the politics of Shaolin. I don't think it will effect the content of the dance/demo team significantly. Shaolin shows are pretty standard, for the most part, and this one doesn't look like it'll have anything new to show, except for the unique platform.
    Gene Ching
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    Did anyone watch the Shaolin monks on the dance competition show tonight?

    It was pretty cool but I'm not too sure how it was a "dance."
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  9. #9
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    I saw it. I have never seen Wheel of Life, so I thought it was a very entertaining demonstration. But like was said, I don't see how they were scored so high in a dance competition.
    If I was the Indian or South African groups, I'd be kinda bitter. I thought at least one of the judges would have pulled out a "6" and give an opinion of lack of dance. And to top it off, what kind of credentials would a "Shaolin Monk" have to judge a dance competition? I was like WTF.

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    At least they were honest about it and just called it a dance.
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    Quote Originally Posted by WinterPalm View Post
    At least they were honest about it and just called it a dance.
    It's pretty sad that China tries to convert a combat art into a dancing art. If I was in the audience seat, I would feel ashamed to be a Chinese and I would stand up and leave.

  12. #12
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    I agree they seem out of place since most dancing does not involve combat applications. However, consider this. If dance can be defined as a set of choreographed movements of the human body then aren't martial arts forms a kind of dance? I watched the solo chain whip form last night and was impressed that the judge from South Africa, who seems to be kind of a hard ass, caught the half ass butterfly twist the monk did. Does anyone know who the Brit is that argued with him?

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