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Seven Spirits Kung Fu’s Lunar New Year tour was a wonderful success! It was an enriching experience for every child at each of the ten local schools we visited. It was an opportunity to see people of diverse ethnicities sharing the East Asian cultural experience and celebrating the new year together. Inspired by the energy of the Lion Dance (múa lân) and Chinese yo-yo acts, and complemented by the dynamism of Vietnamese Thất Sơn martial arts and traditional Chinese dances, many dazzled faces left the show with a newfound hunger for anything and everything “Asian.” I couldn’t help but chuckle when a teacher told me that her student announced that he “Wanted to grow up to be Chinese!” SSK truly succeeded in touching the lives of our local youth by beautifully displaying their talent and dedication.
The awe of the schoolchildren and the warmth and friendship I received from my SSK classmates Maria, Siavash, Hoai, and the other performers was a fond experience I will always treasure. Such a comfortable atmosphere and spirit of cooperation was very much a contrast to the competitive, sport, martial arts I had known before. I am very grateful for my newfound friendships discovered on the SSK tour and for the enriching experiences we shared.
The performers’ determination and zest for Kung Fu really made the program come alive! Siavash - our wonderful narrator and swordsman, Maria - the amazing Kung Fu weapons-mistress, and Hoai — well, what words can really do justice to Hoai’s awe-inspiring spirit forms? Perhaps the roaring applause is an indicator, but even then, I do not think it quite adequate. Demonstrating also the fan, sword, halberd, flying darts, and daggers, he put on incredible performances for the young audiences.
The tour was a fulfilling experience for me; it let me connect with the local community and to share a part of what I love. Performing in front of an audience took martial arts to a new level for me – no longer simply a personal practice but rather a tool with the power to touch lives of others in a positive way. All those children and performers were left with everlasting memories; I am grateful to have shared the new year with such inspiring people.
May this year bring joy and peace to everyone, everywhere. Happy New Year!
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