Forms and Opera influence

[mig]

I was wondering how much influence has the opera in either southern styles or any other TCMA. I noticed a lengthy discussion about forms but never mentioned how the performance of a form could have had an influence from the opera as the warriors or the martial art plays for example. Without going thru the whole history we've heard about the red junk opera and TCMA but I am wondering on the performance of forms, stances, etc.

Thanks,

Mig

[David Jamieson]

Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung both got formal Opera training and that is where they learned a great deal of the martial arts they carry around.

So, I would say there is an absolutely HUGE influence of Chinese opera on modern wushu and tcma around the world really.

But, everyone would prefer to be connected to a warrior of some sort, so lineages can get blurry.

[Jimbo]

I always thought that Ying Jow-Fan Zi Quan looked like it had a good amount of opera influence, though I could be wrong. But that's a northern lineage.

[ShaolinDan]

I always thought that Ying Jow-Fan Zi Quan looked like it had a good amount of opera influence, though I could be wrong. But that's a northern lineage.

No no. We are only connected to warriors of some sort.
I'm not aware of a connection, but fan zi being 'tumble boxing,' would make it a good match for opera...

[TenTigers]

There's a bunch of guys from Toisan, Guangzhao, or around there on youtube, that have a very operatic way of playing Hung Kuen IMO.

[once ronin]

Most southern kung fu should have opera influence.

Kung Fu was illigal and was disguise in opera as a show routine in opera group during Ching Dynasty.

[PM]

Gwaan Dou set has a lot of Chinese opera influence

[once ronin]

Thats why Lam Jo's hung ga dai do and ying cheong has opera influence.

More the long weapons because it was out on displays. Daos and gims you can practice with a stick.

[mig]

Thats why Lam Jo's hung ga dai do and ying cheong has opera influence.

More the long weapons because it was out on displays. Daos and gims you can practice with a stick.

So you can be more specific on what kind of influence??

I am not talking about acrobatics but the way you perform forms in a presentation or in front of a public.

Thanks.

[once ronin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDONglIclEo

[LoneTiger108]

Being a Wing Chun student of a Sifu that had childhood Opera experiences, it was all connected for me from day one. I wouldn't say that the forms themselves have been influenced, but let me say this: when our troupe demonstrated the Wing Chun system in 2001 it was noted that nobody had ever seen anything like that before! There was a 'hint' of Wing Chun recognised by some, but for many all they remembered was flying sticks and some crazy takedowns lol! The response? "That aint Wing Chun!"

The format of demonstration is very important, and I think this is possibly where the influences from Opera leak into all Martial Arts really. You are capturing specific moments in a chaotic environment, and that I feel is the essence of a good demonstration.

[GeneChing]

18 Heartbreaking And Gorgeous Photos Of A Community Fighting To Keep Chinese Opera Alive

The Flower Lantern troupe are one of the last of their kind.
posted on Feb. 12, 2016, at 3:03 a.m.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images
In the Chinese city of Kunming, elderly residents are putting on daily performances of traditional Chinese opera in a bid to keep a dying art alive.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

Chinese opera is a traditional form of performance that can incorporate art, music, dance, and martial arts.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

The Flower Lantern group of Yunnan perform daily shows above a food market. The Yunnan Opera has been staging performances for over 200 years, and has been awarded “Intangible Cultural Heritage” status by the Chinese government.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

All performers are over 50, do their own makeup, and perform one show a day.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

But a changing China means young people are turning to other forms of entertainment, shrinking audiences for opera.

continued next post

[GeneChing]

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Speaking to the AFP, 72-year-old performer He Zhengcai said that there was no longer an audience for traditional opera.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

“The situation is getting worse each year, our stage has moved seven times and each time it gets smaller,” he said. “Young people are no longer interested in this art, and our audiences are old fellows in general.”

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

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The troupe’s founder, Gao Qinying, was pessimistic about the group’s survival.

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

“I don’t think the group could survive another year,” she said. “Five old friends used to sit there together, they came and sat on the same spot every day… Now, they are all gone.”

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Johannes Eisele / AFP / Getty Images

Back on topic, I think Chinese Opera has an incalculable influence upon CMA, possibly more so than any other factor when forms practice is concerned.