Shaolin Warriors show

[7kicks]

For those of you in the new england area the Shaolin Warriors will be performing at the orpheum theatre in Boston Nov 4, Start time is 8:00 P.M. tickets are available thru ticket master.

[Terry]

For those of you in the New Jersey area, the Shaolin Warriors from the Republic of China will be performing on Friday, 11/10, 8 P.M. at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton (Box Ofc: 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 609 258-2787). See website for more info - www.mccarter.org (http://www.mccarter.org)

[Grays Anatomy]

Terry - the McCarter show is sold out.

They are playing this Firday NIght at the Beacon Theatre in NYC.

[Nards]

Anyone else in Houston seen this? The Society of Performing Arts is putting it on Oct 27-28 at Jones Hall here in Houston. Anyone know anything about it?

http://www.spahouston.org/CalendarList.aspx?series=0

[DMK]

Helllo Nards,
This is the first I have heard ,we will have keeep posting

[Pk_StyLeZ]

wow another shaolin show?
but aww...dat on halloween weekend...that when i usually go to austin....grrrrrr

[SunBeam]

First I've seen of it. I might try to go.

[DMK]

Many of you already know there will be a Shaolin Tour in Houston.
It will be Oct 27-28 at Jones Hall.
Any planning to go?

[GeneChing]

You mean this (http://www.houstontheaterdistrict.org/en/cev/?2213)? That's the same show that's coming here to the S.F. area (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=796652&postcount=79). I've seen an earlier version of this, but the 007 tour is probably updated. I'm sure it has a slightly different cast. The casts tend to rotate for each tour.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

i plan to go
but thats halloween weekend
and i plan to go to austin to party also
so i probably wont go to this show
unless i am not in austin
=)

[Immortal_Dragon]

Spend time with your family.
or go to Austin to party.
Theres been a lot of Shaolin shows in Houston
most of them are the same.
:D

[xcakid]

Anyone know if they are coming to Dallas since they are going to be here in TX anyways?

[sha0lin1]

Not sure about Dallas but they will be in San Antonio on Oct. 24th at 7:30pm.

[DMK]

Yes Gene this is the same show . I didnt know there was a shaolin tour until I saw it here and to be honest I hardly ever see martial arts related events in Houston . Outside the loop toward bellaire yes there are numerous schools, but inside the loop there are Tai chi for health, differnt off springs of Yang style, and I believe one chen style and one contemporary wushu and one very traditional school.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

Learn Kung Fu from the Shaolin Monks of China!

Shaolin Warriors
Martial Arts Master Class
FREE
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 27
Melcher Gymnasium
University of Houston
3855 Holman

i saw that on this site http://www.spahouston.org/CalendarDetail.aspx?event=56#tickets
so.....the monks are going to be giving a free class??
or is this some other teacher giving a free class??
anyone in houston know anything about this??

[Nards]

I just saw that class at UH also. It sounds like the monks are doing a free class, so I'm planning on going to that and the show at Jones Hall, but ****... I think I'll be sitting in the nosebleeds. It's pretty expensive!

[Pk_StyLeZ]

I just saw that class at UH also. It sounds like the monks are doing a free class, so I'm planning on going to that and the show at Jones Hall, but ****... I think I'll be sitting in the nosebleeds. It's pretty expensive!

u saw it at UH??u saw it on campus??
where did u see it on campus??

[GeneChing]

Check out this article from Cal State Long Beach
Shaolin warriors bring Ancient art of 'Wushu' (http://media.www.daily49er.com/media/storage/paper1042/news/2007/10/18/Diversions/Shaolin.Warriors.Bring.Ancient.Art.Of.wushu-3041104.shtml)
Misako Miyagawa
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Diversions

Ancient tradition met with martial arts extravaganza as the Shaolin Warriors performed Saturday afternoon at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

The crowd of more than 600 was treated to a stunning display of martial arts prowess involving hand-to-hand and traditional weapon combat.

But the Shaolin Warriors are no ordinary performers. They are Buddhist monks, most in their 20s, whose combination of rigorous fighting strength and peaceful contemplation makes for an intriguing paradox.

Popularized in such movies as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," the image of the gentle yet formidable warrior monk has entertained, if not mystified, audiences around the world.

But beyond its entertainment value, explanation of the true meaning behind Chinese "kung fu" rarely reaches western shores.

Adorned in bright saffron-orange attire, the Shaolin Warriors captured the audience with movements of potent grace and exhilarating athleticism known as "wushu." Even the sound of the term seems to embody what it does: humans hurling through space with extraordinary speed, elegance and power.

In Chinese, the word "wushu" is composed of two written characters: "wu," meaning military, and "shu," referring to art. Together, the term literally means "the art of war," or martial arts, said Eric Chen, head instructor of the National Wushu Training Center in Southern California, and one of the first Americans trained by Chinese wushu teams in the early '80s.

But far from a prescription for glorified aggression, closer inspection of the same two characters reveals a more philosophical meaning. "Wu" has the appearance of a knife and "shu" can be seen to signify "stop," or the art of not fighting, Chen said.

An even more esoteric connotation of "wu" is written differently in ancient Chinese. But because it sounds the same, it can be defined as "dancing," Chen explained, while others interpret it as "flowering hand."

The heart of wushu thus embraces the integration of intensity and fluid aesthetic form based on Buddhist principles of peace, restraint, humility and respect.

Just so, the Shaolin Warriors demonstrated gentle, meditative formations blended with stylized flurries of weapons such as the sword, spear, three-part-staff, trident and halberd.

Many wushu styles are also inspired by the natural world. The Shaolin Warriors delighted Saturday's audience with movements unmistakable for their tiger, monkey, crane, frog and scorpion origins, as well as the mythic dragon.

[GeneChing]

continued (http://media.www.daily49er.com/media/storage/paper1042/news/2007/10/18/Diversions/Shaolin.Warriors.Bring.Ancient.Art.Of.wushu-3041104-page2.shtml)
The performance was accompanied by traditional Chinese music and backdrops of towering Buddha figures and mist-filled scenic terrains, giving the audience a view into another time and place.

Wushu can be seen in films such as "Hero," "Fearless," "Shanghai Noon" and "Kung Fu Hustle." It also inspired the martial arts sequences in "The Matrix."

Wushu, however, is not a particular style, but an umbrella term that encompasses all Chinese martial arts and thus accounts for its rich variety of forms, Chen said.

And contrary to popular Western notions, kung fu literally means excellence or mastery in any endeavor, Chen clarified. For example, it can be said that one's cooking, drawing or basketball "kung fu" is very good. But in the martial arts, the term kung fu tends to reference the traditional and non-contemporary combat version of wushu, Chen said.

It is said that wushu dates back many centuries, to the monks at the legendary Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China. Wushu was meant to fortify the body in balance with the monks' long hours of seated meditation, said a representative of the Shaolin Warriors group in an e-mailed statement.

"It evolved into a fighting art later, when the monks needed to defend themselves [against bandits] in war-torn feudal China," the representative said.

The Shaolin Monastery eventually fell into neglect and was all but abandoned during the early years of the communist Chinese revolution.

According to Chen, it was the 1982 film "Shaolin Temple," starring action-movie icon and wushu champion Jet Li, that single-handedly revived interest in the monastery. The temple is now a popular tourist attraction.

Based on standards established by the Chinese government in the late '50s, modern wushu is a competitive but largely non-combative performance sport, according to Chen.

But wushu is also an everyday part of life in China. It is practiced by school children nationwide, with a slower tai-chi wushu form commonly practiced among older adults.

Globally, wushu will gain wider exposure in a non-medal competition in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, according to the official Olympics web site.

Whether monk, movie star or amateur, the art and discipline of wushu fosters flexibility, endurance and a calm mind and spirit, in forms at once ancient yet timeless, powerful yet beautiful.

We should rename this thread Shaolin Warriors when the tour is done. Or maybe I'll just merge it to the original 2000 thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1953s).

[Nards]

u saw it at UH??u saw it on campus??
where did u see it on campus??

i mean i just saw on spahouston.org the free class at UH listed.

i just looked and they have a list of performers. anyone recognize any of them:

Performers
Pengfei Chen, Haohao Song, Qinpei Shi, Long Yuan, Tao Hao, Changbao Feng, Yanfei Zhang, Jie Zhao, Chenxi Wang, Chunpei Song, Kunkun Cao, Zhuo Chen, Hao Lu, Weixiao Ma, Long Chen, Dawei Zhai, Chuanqiang Yuan, Xianwei Liu, Xingchao Fan, Husile Wu, Tiancheng Zhao, Xin Liu

[Pk_StyLeZ]

i mean i just saw on spahouston.org the free class at UH listed.

i just looked and they have a list of performers. anyone recognize any of them:

Performers
Pengfei Chen, Haohao Song, Qinpei Shi, Long Yuan, Tao Hao, Changbao Feng, Yanfei Zhang, Jie Zhao, Chenxi Wang, Chunpei Song, Kunkun Cao, Zhuo Chen, Hao Lu, Weixiao Ma, Long Chen, Dawei Zhai, Chuanqiang Yuan, Xianwei Liu, Xingchao Fan, Husile Wu, Tiancheng Zhao, Xin Liu

look like i seen tht list somewhere before...haha
then again..i dont know chinese..they all look sound alike...haha...

[GeneChing]

...but it's notable that they are all using common names and not Shaolin disciple names. ;)

[DRAGONSIHING]

This show is going to be a t McFarlin Auditorium on SMU Campus on 10-25 & 26th. Have heard nothing else about any other appearances or trainings while their here. I will be there Fri. nite,26th.

[xcakid]

This show is going to be a t McFarlin Auditorium on SMU Campus on 10-25 & 26th. Have heard nothing else about any other appearances or trainings while their here. I will be there Fri. nite,26th.

Awesome. Thanks for the info

[GeneChing]

I'm retitling this thread Shaolin Warriors, since it's a national tour. Houston is just the starting point of this discussion. I've also merged it with the original Shaolin Warriors thread, from back in 2000.

Zen Philosophy Meets Martial Arts in the Shaolin Warriors (http://www.buffalo.edu/news/8921)
Release Date
10/23/07

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Center for the Arts at the University at Buffalo will present Shaolin Warriors at 8 p.m. on Nov. 19 in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. The performance is sponsored in part by the UB Students Association.

In a fully choreographed theatrical production, the Shaolin Warriors bring the remarkable skill, stunning movement and spectacular imagery of Kung Fu to stages throughout the world. The show is performed by disciples of the Shaolin schools, known internationally for their disciplined and deadly martial-arts prowess. These Kung Fu masters have trained from a very young age in mental and physical disciplines, which allow them to perform feats one thought only possible in the movies. The production features many forms of Shaolin Kung Fu, as well as a look at the daily life of the warriors and their Zen philosophy.

In 525 A.D., when a Buddhist monk from India, Ta Mo, founded the Shaolin Monestery, he probably had no idea that nearly 1,500 years later, the monks of Shaolin would still be held in great reverence while demonstrating their remarkable skill and stunning movement to audiences throughout modern-day China and around the world. The early Shaolin monks embarked on a long process to develop a system of defense by meditating on the attack and defense movements of animals, called wushu, that lived near their monastery. However, even with all of their remarkable fighting abilities, the Shaolin monk's skills are never put to aggressive use.

Tickets for Shaolin Warriors are $22 general admission and $10 for students. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location. Students (of any school) must present valid student ID at the Center Box Office to receive discount.

[Shaolinlueb]

Nov 27th. the Tuesday After Thanksgiving they are coming to UMASS AMherst. I plan on going with a bunch of students to support them. Plus its gonna be fun.

[GeneChing]

Xinghao comments :cool:

Oct. 25, 2007, 6:20PM
Shaolin Warriors take art to new level (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/arts/theater/5246742.html)
By NANCY WOZNY
For The Chronicle

It's best not to enter into a squabble with a Shaolin monk. Although Buddhism espouses a philosophy of nonviolence, the Shaolin Temple is famous for its style of martial arts.

The monks developed their fighting skills as a way to survive the perils of feudal China, when many monasteries were, like their European counterparts, landed estates that required protection.

"Shaolin was developed with many influences, including earlier forms of kung fu, yoga and other martial arts," said Zhan Yucheng, manager of the Shaolin Warriors, a 21-member troupe that will perform at Jones Hall this weekend.

Shaolin kung fu can be slow and fluid one moment, explosive the next. Every lightning-fast move happens in real time.

"Americans are surprised that the things they see in the show can be done without tricks or special effects," Zhan said.

The movements themselves imitate animals and other natural phenomena. "The frog teaches jumping, the monkey teaches flipping, the tiger strikes with power, and the scorpion with cunning and speed," Zhan said. "All of these things are important in kung fu."

The use of weapons — about 20 types — is also a distinct characteristic of Shaolin kung fu.

"Each performer has special strengths and must train to become an expert with one traditional weapon," Zhan said.

The performance is a highly theatrical version of the monks' daily life, practices and philosophy. The stage features painted backdrops of the temple and its surroundings. The choreography is flashy but authentic and is accompanied by a dramatic score.

Shi Xing Hao, who owns Shaolin Kung Fu Academy in southwest Houston, trained at the Shaolin Temple from age 13 to 25. He says the values of Shaolin martial arts remain relevant in the often-harried pace of modern life.

"It's a philosophy of art that builds self-confidence and motivation," Shi Xing Hao said.

The monks of Shaolin Warriors train specifically for the show, but their rigorous regimen also includes slower moments.

"They spend hours meditating and practicing kung fu," Zhan said. "They have a diet rich in rice and spend as much time outdoors as possible."

"A monk trains his mind perhaps more than his body. Strong mental as well as physical discipline is required," Zhan said. "Without concentration, physical strength is nothing."

[Pk_StyLeZ]

who going to the free classs at UH tommarow??
i will be on campus already doing a project
so i ama drop by that area and chek itout
wont be going to da show
weeeeeeee

[Nards]

I am. You going Mark?

[sha0lin1]

Ryan,

Did you end up going to the class and how was it? I brought a contingent of students down Saturday from Austin to train with our Sifu. I asked him about going to check that class out and he said he thought it would be just the basics since it was open to the public so we didn't go since my students are already pretty well versed in the basics.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

Ryan,

Did you end up going to the class and how was it? I brought a contingent of students down Saturday from Austin to train with our Sifu. I asked him about going to check that class out and he said he thought it would be just the basics since it was open to the public so we didn't go since my students are already pretty well versed in the basics.

me and ryan both went
there was 3 different groups
one group that had kung fu experience
one group that had martial art expereince
one group that never trained in anything
the kung fu group learned seven star form
the martial art group learned some form and part of lin huan chang
the group with no experience was learning tai chi??i couldnt really see, didnt pay attention either
it was just mostly form teaching...and some applications....

[sha0lin1]

me and ryan both went
there was 3 different groups
one group that had kung fu experience
one group that had martial art expereince
one group that never trained in anything
the kung fu group learned seven star form
the martial art group learned some form and part of lin huan chang
the group with no experience was learning tai chi??i couldnt really see, didnt pay attention either
it was just mostly form teaching...and some applications....

Thanks for letting us know PK. Sounds cool, I already have learned Seven Star and my students that came down all know Lian Huan Quan but it sounds like if we went it would have been pretty cool to see if there were any variations or different applications outside what Shi Xing Ying teaches.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

Thanks for letting us know PK. Sounds cool, I already have learned Seven Star and my students that came down all know Lian Huan Quan but it sounds like if we went it would have been pretty cool to see if there were any variations or different applications outside what Shi Xing Ying teaches.

i learned 7star from sifu xing ying before and it was different.(well not really but some part was different, just some hand position was in different spots)
i dont think he(the guy at the class teaching) finished teaching the form...but he did demonstrate it at the very beginning before the classes.
lin huan chang was a little bit different though

[Nards]

Hey Scott. Like Mark said, we both went to the UH class. It was pretty cool. There were 3 monks there. They came out and each did a form. One did a Hsing-I form, one did some Chen Tai Chi form, and another did 7 Star Fist form like Mark said. Then they broke everyone into the 3 groups. The monk teaching our group only finished teaching 7 Star to the first kick, so he didn't get all that far in it. Xing Hao was there too going around explaining things.

I went to the Jones Hall show on Sunday too and it was pretty cool too, but I liked the Tennessee show more.

[GeneChing]

...did Xinghao know those monks?

[Pk_StyLeZ]

...did Xinghao know those monks?

i didnt ask...i wanted to...but xing hao was busy talking to everyone else...i didnt have time to sit and wait to talk to him after the class....i was on campus already working on a project and just took a break to go see the class

[sha0lin1]

...did Xinghao know those monks?


I asked Xing Ying and he said he did not know any of these monks. I am assuming that they were all probably Yan generation so Yan Feng may have known them but I guess he wasn't there.

[GeneChing]

They might be different generations, but they were on many of the same tours and trained together extensively. Yanfeng was the kid monk back when Xinghao was one of the star performers. Deshan and Xingying were also in that group. So they probably know the same circles, more or less. I hung out with Xinghao back when he was at Shaolin in '95 a lot. I knew Yanfeng and Xingying too, but not as well. I didn't know Deshan - may have met him there and just forgot.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

I asked Xing Ying and he said he did not know any of these monks. I am assuming that they were all probably Yan generation so Yan Feng may have known them but I guess he wasn't there.

ya yan feng trained with xing hao, xing ying, de shan, xing wei, li peng, xing hong, de cheng and etc.
IMO this was the best tour group and most skilled of all i seen

[GeneChing]

... but I'm biased since I know most of the best (and one is my shifu ;))

They worked together the longest and formed the first major international tours, paving the way for those that followed. They were really the avant garde. They were there as Shaolin was first rising, so many of them saw Shaolin when it was a lot harder. The following generations lived in more luxury. I think some of the following tours were flashy, better shows even, but those first tours were much tighter in a martial way, especially with their sparring forms. The first group had to do it all - teach, perform, defend - it's like comparing football players of old (when there was no separation between offense and defense) and today's player, who has a lot of technology to rely upon.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

... but I'm biased since I know most of the best (and one is my shifu ;))

They worked together the longest and formed the first major international tours, paving the way for those that followed. They were really the avant garde. They were there as Shaolin was first rising, so many of them saw Shaolin when it was a lot harder. The following generations lived in more luxury. I think some of the following tours were flashy, better shows even, but those first tours were much tighter in a martial way, especially with their sparring forms. The first group had to do it all - teach, perform, defend - it's like comparing football players of old (when there was no separation between offense and defense) and today's player, who has a lot of technology to rely upon.

yeah i guess u can call me bias too...since i know most of the one i just named also and trained with 4 of them.....
but its true, the new generations are living much more luxury than the older generation.

[GeneChing]

When we say luxury, the bulk of Shaolin students are still crapping in trenches that are emptied manually. That's got to be one of the worst jobs in the world - 3rd world sewage management. But I don't think they're eating as many rats as before. Did you catch the section in Matt Polly's American Shaolin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26966) where Xinghong discusses that?

[sha0lin1]

They might be different generations, but they were on many of the same tours and trained together extensively. Yanfeng was the kid monk back when Xinghao was one of the star performers. Deshan and Xingying were also in that group. So they probably know the same circles, more or less. I hung out with Xinghao back when he was at Shaolin in '95 a lot. I knew Yanfeng and Xingying too, but not as well. I didn't know Deshan - may have met him there and just forgot.


When Nards and I went to Tennessee with Xing Ying and Yan Feng to see that group perform. All of those guys with the exception of the young ones were Yan Feng's classmates. It was funny, Yan Feng was upset because when he was at Shaolin he was taller than all of them and now they are all taller than him. That performance was called Hui Guang, it was the story about a group of bandits that attacked a mother and her infant son to rob them, mother and son get separated during the attack, a group of Monks happen to stumble upon the turmoil and save the baby, and raise him up at the temple. Well you know the rest. That show was really good, we were talking to the promoters and they may tour it next year, we'll see.

Xing Hao is really a cool guy. I don't know De Shan that well, never was formally introduced, but when we perform at various festivals we often cross paths. Wish we all could collaborate more together but the Houston Shaolin are very independent of each other. My master would like to have one school with four masters, I think that that would be awesome but will probably never happen.

[GeneChing]

When I first met Yanfeng, he was training at the wushuguan under all the monks above. There were other kids, not many, Yanfeng was in a class by himself. I had never seen a kid that motivated and focused before. He was constantly training (and he was really young back then - we're talking '95). I'm now wondering if Yanfeng's classmates on this tour were from that period. I'm wondering if they were all wushuguan students.

I also recant the comment I made earlier about Yanfeng being in the same circles as Xinghao, Xingying, Deshan, et.al. They were all training together, but Yanfeng was a kid and the others were adults (actually Xingying was a teen, but still more adult that Yanfeng). Their age would have certainly had an effect on the social circles and their memories. I can't remember a lot of the kids and junior students that I taught and trained with back in my Lam Kwoon days. I really only remember those that were adults, and even they are a little sketchy.

Didn't realize Shaolin Warriors had progressed that much with the plot of their show. That stands to reason, in retrospect. The original was fairly abstract, based on the seasons, but really minimal in terms of storyline.

[GeneChing]

This sounds more like the tour I saw so long ago - the four scenes, the four seasons. I remember a shami being involved (a shami is always involved - that was Yanfeng's role as a child) but I don't remember an infant. Can anyone clarify this?

Shaolin Warriors At The Belk Theater (http://www.wsoctv.com/charlotteevents/14447379/detail.html)
WHAT:
“…I felt like I had stumbled upon some secret place, a place where extraordinary men challenge the limits of the human condition.” –The Greenville News

Shaolin Warriors is more than a Kung Fu show. The four scenes of summer, autumn, winter and spring depict the philosophical theory of the cycle in Buddhism. The unique artistic conception of summer, spring, autumn and winter vividly shows the rarely-seen temple life of the Shaolin monks: their Buddhist meditation, as well as their martial arts training during the coldest and hottest times of the year. In addition to the breath-taking Kung Fu display, an attentive audience will gain some understanding of the pride of Chinese Buddhism, the doctrine of “Unity of Zen and Martial Arts.”

[Pk_StyLeZ]

here some sample clips from the show
found it on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6y8LHVk9hs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJRyJEkdQww

[scholar]

I recently saw the Shaolin Tour. It was definitely worth it. Besides some hokey music and the demo weapons, the forms were good, the performers serious and the presentation respectful.

If this one comes to town, people should see it, even if they don't train Shaolin.

[scholar]

http://www.beat.com.au/article.php?id=631

[GeneChing]

The nice thing about this article is it gives the official website - http://www.cpaap.com/shaolin.htm

Strength and grace: Shaolin Warriors bring their brand of martial arts to the Z (http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071122/ENTERTAIN/711220333)
November 22, 2007 6:00 AM

The Shaolin Warriors bring the remarkable skill, stunning movement, and spectacular imagery of Kung Fu to the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Friday in a performance that's sure to dazzle the audience.

The Masters of Shaolin — known throughout the world for their disciplined spirituality and lethal martial-arts prowess developed from a very young age — showcase many forms of Shaolin Kung Fu in this spectacularly choreographed theatrical production. They also provide a glimpse into the daily life of the Warriors.

According to The Washington Post, "They combine the agility and grace of gymnasts with the showmanship of Cirque du Soleil performers."

Or, as TimeOut magazine in New York put it, "Not many people would ever think of hitting a holy man, but just in case you're ever tempted, you should know that the Shaolin Buddhist monks of China could kick your ass from here to nirvana."

Located in the Henan province of central China, the Shaolin Temple was founded in 525 AD by a Buddhist monk from India named Ta Mo. He laid the foundation for the martial arts out a commitment to enhancing harmony between mind, body and spirit through Ch'an (Zen), an intense form of meditation.

Today, 23 monks from that same temple travel the world as the Shaolin Warriors performing a re-creation of a "day" at the temple — the serenity of morning meditation, the stunning physicality of daily exercises, and amazingly choreographed scenes of ritual combat.

"In addition to the breath-taking kung fu show, an attentive audience will gain some understanding of the profoundness of Chinese Buddhism, the Doctrine of 'Unity of Zen and Martial Arts' in particular," states their Web site, www.cpaap.com/shaolin.htm

The monks train for several hours daily to perfect the art of hand-to-hand and weapons combat. Each of them is required to reach high proficiency in the temple's 18 traditional weapons and become the master of one. These weapons include the common ax, cudgel, spear, halberd, sword and broadsword, three-section staff, dart, dagger, black tiger hammer, tiger hooks and more.

Buddhism and Buddhist monks espouse a philosophy of non-violence and non-aggression, but the practices of the Shaolin Warriors are not at odds with these tenets. Their goal is not violence and bloodshed, but rather what is referred to as "stillness in movement," the reward of a serene mind, cultivated through meditation.

After seeing Friday's performance, audience members will no doubt agree with The Orange County Register that the Shaolin Warriors are —¦ so good at what they do, it almost looks like animation."

Tickets are $48, $45, $40 for all reserved seats. Tickets are available by calling the Z box office at (508) 994-2900 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, online at www.zeiterion.org; or at the box office, 684 Purchase St., New Bedford.

Group sales tickets are available by calling (508) 997-5664 Ext. 16. The venue is handicapped accessible.

Convenient parking is available in the adjacent garage for $2

[quddha]

i mean i just saw on spahouston.org the free class at UH listed.

i just looked and they have a list of performers. anyone recognize any of them:

Performers
Pengfei Chen, Haohao Song, Qinpei Shi, Long Yuan, Tao Hao, Changbao Feng, Yanfei Zhang, Jie Zhao, Chenxi Wang, Chunpei Song, Kunkun Cao, Zhuo Chen, Hao Lu, Weixiao Ma, Long Chen, Dawei Zhai, Chuanqiang Yuan, Xianwei Liu, Xingchao Fan, Husile Wu, Tiancheng Zhao, Xin Liu

Most of them were casted from the Beijing area. I recognized some of the faces from the Shaolin school I was training at this summer in Fangshan Beijing.

Ma Weixiao is a friend of mine I met during the summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqgaJYQ8NtM

He did the double whipchains during the show. Another one who did a lot of the Qi Gong stuff, I call "mean coach" because I saw him break a staff on a student's butt when he was misbehaving, and he used to throw stuff at his students.

Xingchao Fan.... left the tour, he's now my coach. lol.

[GeneChing]

This show just keeps going and going. it's the Shaolin energizer bunny...
Kung-fu masters Shaolin Warriors at Fairfield Croydon, and The Hawth, Crawley (http://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/entertainment/Kung-fu-masters-Shaolin-Warriors-Fairfield-Croydon-Hawth-Crawley/article-1085207-detail/article.html)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 15:48

Witness death-defying feats of agility, strength and skill from kung-fu masters Shaolin Warriors.

Using Buddhist meditation and martial arts training the team display the art of hand-to-hand and weapons combat.

They are not only experts in using weapons but they demonstrate their ability to sustain extreme physical discomfort and pain.

Scenery, enchanting music and beautiful lights and props set the scene for this fully choreographed show.

Shaolin Warriors, Fairfield, Croydon, Friday, June 19, 8pm, £20.50, £21.50, 020 8688 9291, www.fairfield.co.uk

The Hawth, Crawley, Saturday, June 20, 7.30pm, £21 (£18, family £60), 01293 553636, www.hawth.co.uk.

[Tensei85]

Sounds awesome! I believe there's one coming to Mich. next month some time, can't wait to check it out...

[GeneChing]

There's something really quaint about this review...
Theatre Review: Shaolin Warriors, Fairfield, Croydon (http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/theguide/Theatre-Review-Shaolin-Warriors-Fairfield-Croydon/article-1105448-detail/article.html)
Friday, July 03, 2009, 07:00

This is a show quite unlike any other: a blending of martial arts and showbiz to demonstrate the amazing feats of strength and mind-over-matter of which the human body is capable.

This is the first UK tour by the internationally acclaimed Shaolin Warriors, Kung Fu masters from China.

The choreography is sometimes spectacular, sometimes a little mundane and repetitive, but the skill of the 22 highly-trained participants is extraordinary as they demonstrate disciplines such as qigong, animal imitation boxing, drunken boxing and mock combat with traditional weapons.

Not to mention witnessing a man balanced by his comrades on the points of four spears or being rammed in the midriff with a telegraph pole wielded by six others.

Another lies on a bed of scimitar blades with a bed of nails on his stomach while a second warrior lies on top of that to have a marble slab on his stomach smashed with a sledgehammer. How do they think these things up?

There are light-hearted interludes when volunteers are invited on stage to get involved and the 30 or so youngsters who did a bit of Kung Fu training appeared to love it.

In fact Kung Fu looks to be such a positive way of channelling and harmlessly unleashing aggression that I think someone should start classes in schools and for grumpy old women. I'd enrol!

The music is mesmerising but the brochure's promise of "gorgeous scenery" and "hundreds of costumes" is an exaggeration. The scenery is just a temple backcloth and the costumes are mostly fluorescent orange Buddhist monk type outfits, which look good when the stage is darkened.

The show was subtitled Seasons of Life, though as there was no narration I had no idea which season was which.

But these are minor moans as this was a very different and mostly very entertaining show with the downside of making you go home feeling very unfit!

Diana Eccleston

4 stars

[GeneChing]

I like their definition of wushu. It makes no sense whatsoever, but I still like it. ;)
Posted on: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
'Shaolin Warriors' show poetry in fighting (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090825/GETPUBLISHED/90824057)

The world renowned SHAOLIN WARRIORS, who sold out a full run at The Hawaii Theatre in 2002, return to Oahu to play just 6 shows at The Blaisdell Concert Hall from September 23 to 27, 2009. Tickets go on sale on July 22 at 9am.
Advertisement

Shaolin Warriors have mystified and excited US audiences in 3 US tours in the last decade. This appearance will be the first in their latest incarnation, leading a 20-city North American tour.

The group of 22 Buddhist monks from Shaolin Temple in China's Henan Province creates an amazing spectacle with their brand of high-flying martial arts and acrobatics. The audience's delight of motion is mixed with disbelief at the feats of strength, skill and endurance. While the show is highly entertaining it is also educational - these martial arts are grounded firmly in the mindfulness of Buddhist practice. The Shaolin Warriors fight mostly in silence while showing a disciplined stillness that comes from a serene mind.

The monks of Shaolin Warriors train specifically for the show, but their rigorous regimen also includes slower moments. Zhan Yucheng, manager of the Shaolin Warriors explains; "They spend hours meditating and practicing kung fu. They have a diet rich in rice and spend as much time outdoors as possible."

"A monk trains his mind perhaps more than his body. Strong mental as well as physical discipline is required," Zhan said. "Without concentration, physical strength is nothing."

Although the traveling theatrical performance of Shaolin Warriors has been in existence for less than ten years, the Kung Fu at the show's core was born 1,500 years ago, at Shaolin Monastery. The monastery was the center of spiritual and Kung Fu (Shaolin Chuan) practices. Wushu exercises, based on the attack and defense movements of animals that lived near the monastery, were used to develop a defense system of hand-to-hand and weapons combat that became sophisticated over generations.

That system of combat now enables choreographed martial arts feats so amazing they don't look real. The masters' butt-kicking, amazingly graceful hand-to-hand combat and weaponry skills have been described as "…a performance that's part action flick, part Cirque du Soleil" by the Boston Globe.

Standing out among the performers of this company are two young boys who despite their size and age have many chances to show off their physical and artistic abilities. The two are able to hold their own amongst the more experienced Shaolin performers on stage. They also lead some of the interaction with the audience – there is humor as well as serenity in the show.

Shaolin Warriors is a full sensory theatrical experience, as compelling as anything in modern dance and surely more hypnotic, especially when paired with a Shaolin temple backdrop, low lighting, piped-in Eastern music and ever-burning incense. Graceful maneuvering is the yin of the evening, unbelievable stunts provide the yang.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, July 22 at 9am. Tickets for opening night are all priced at $35, with $5 to be donated directly to the Palolo Chinese Home. Tickets for the rest of the run range $30 to $60 with $10 discounts for children, seniors, students, and military, available in person from the Blaisdell Box Office, charge by phone with Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000, at outlets in Macy's at Ala Moana and Pearlridge and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

[GeneChing]

There's vid on this first link.
I am the warrior (http://honoluluweekly.com/hotpicks/2009/09/i-am-the-warrior/)
Ryan Senaga
Sep 23, 2009
Shaolin Warriors

Combine monks with martial arts and you get extreme Zen.

Shaolin Warriors / What do you get when you mix Buddhist monks with deadly dexterous skill in martial arts? Shaolin Warriors! Twenty-two Buddhist monks from the Shaolin Temple in the Henan Province of China are coming to the Blaisdell Concert Hall to kick, slash, swirl, punch, and flip their way into your adrenaline cortexes with their crazy acrobatic skill, hand-to-hand combat and blade mastery. The group’s trademark sense of grace will bring a touch of zen to the proceedings.

This is not to say that they aren’t partial to lying on a plank of nails so their buddies can smash bricks on their bare chests with a sledgehammer. (We’d like to see Gallagher try that.) We’ll also be treated to the impressive visuals of swirling red robes with flashes of sharp, silver steel as well as awe-inspiring acts of balancing with bamboo poles.

The origins of this particular martial art are shrouded in mystery. Some say that the monks learned the techniques from ancient sacred scripture by one Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from India. Others say that this legend is baloney and the monks were already practicing their martial arts before the arrival of the aforementioned Indian monk. Regardless, here they are, not defending their monastery but giving the decadent West a taste of their different types of fists with names like Plum Flower, Seven Star and Big Flood.

The Boston Globe describes the troupe’s act as “part action flick, part Cirque du Soleil.” That pretty much sums it up. Just don’t expect any fatalities. It won’t be that kind of Mortal Kombat.

Nice that they are doing some charity
Senior Citizens get Sneak Peek of China's Shaolin Warriors (http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Senior-Citizens-get-Sneak-Peek-of-Chinas-Shaolin/XwF2YfYqBEupShzBm5ZrlA.cspx)
Contributor: Jessica Gellert
Last Update: 9/22 5:00 pm

Shaolin Warriors perform kungfu for residents of the Palolo Chinese Home.

Some lucky Honolulu residents got a sneak peek of kungfu at its best.

22 Shaolin Warriors from China showed off their master skills for the folks at the Palolo Chinese Home this morning.

The masters' hand-to-hand combat and weaponry skills had the crowd in awe.

“The young boys, the two young boys, they so young,” said resident Patsy Yamane. “It seems like they do all their tricks with their head,” she giggled.

The monks will perform at the Blaisdell Arena from the 23rd to the 27th.

Tickets for the 23rd show are all $35 and proceeds will go to the Palolo Chinese Home.

Tickets for all other shows range from $30 to $60.

Children under 18-years-old, college students, senior citizens and military get a $10 discount.

[GeneChing]

There was a ton of news on the Hawaii run that I didn't bother to post here. The show must have done well there to warrant so much coverage.

Of all the tours, I never would have guessed that this one would have such legs in the U.S.
Last Updated: 12:29 pm | Sunday, October 11, 2009
Leaping warriors at Music Hall (http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091011/ENT07/910110320/1032/ENT/Leaping+warriors+at+Music+Hall)

During the run of Roaring Tigers, Leaping Carp at Cincinnati Art Museum, the Cincinnati Art Association will host a one-night performance of the Shaolin Warriors, 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Music Hall.

The Shaolin monastery was established in 525 A.D. by a Buddhist monk from India in what would later become the Henan province of central China. The Shaolin sect became known across Asia for its disciplined spiritualism and deadly martial-arts prowess.

Nearly 1,500 years later, the disciples of Shaolin are touring the world in a highly theatricalized look at their daily practice, including demonstrating "wushu" - their style of combat developed in war-torn, feudal China - and the fluid, animal-inspired movements of kung fu.

The show demonstrates use of more than 20 weapons, including the ax, cudgel, spear, halberd, sword and broadsword, three-section staff, dart, dagger, black tiger hammer, plum blossom broadsword, Bodhidharma staff, tiger hooks and more.

Through a practice known as Ch'an (think Zen), they calm the body and focus the mind to a single collected point in order to attain a mental state known as Samadhi, or complete mental absorption. The warriors fight mostly in silence, a direct result of practicing Samadhi.

Buy tickets ($25-$40) at 513-621-2787 and www.cincinnatiarts.org

[solo1]

Just found out in class last night they are coming to Cincinnati several of us from our school are going, cant wait.

[GeneChing]

I got kind of burned out with all the HI coverage, but yes, Shaolin Warriors is making it's way back across America again. Apparently they are in VA next. Here's an update:

Shaolin Warriors (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102101626.html)
(Washington Performing Arts Society)
Thursday, October 22, 2009

The skill, movement and imagery of the Chinese art of kung fu comes to Fairfax this weekend. The performers are disciples of the Shaolin schools who combine agility, grace and martial-arts talents. They've trained from a very young age in mental and physical discipline, so expect to see very cinematic -- but very real -- feats by these peaceful warriors. A discussion will take place 45 minutes before each show in the Grand Tier Lobby.

Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 4 p.m. George Mason University, Center for the Arts Concert Hall, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax. 703-993-2787, 888-945-2468 or http://www.gmu.edu/cfa. $22-$44.

[GeneChing]

I'm still burned out after all the HI articles, but I'm posting this one here just to ttt this thread again.

Looks like we have a handful of Shaolin shows on the road around the world now - Wheel of Life (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10562), Holy Mountain (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55137), Sutra (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54913), Soul of Shaolin (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52939), and coming to the World Expo (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55355), Shaolin Temple: Saga of Warriors Monks... still not sure about Shaolin Spirit (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55601).
Watch and enjoy, grasshopper (http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/69287862.html)
The Shaolin Warriors bring their entertaining discipline to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater's Yong Auditorium on Thursday.

Posted: Nov. 5, 2009

The warriors of China's famed Shaolin Temple, where kung fu was invented, come to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater next week to perform a dynamic program that is part demonstration, part entertainment.

The show takes the audience through a typical day at the temple, including meditation, chants and fighting skills exercises, some with traditional weapons. The techniques are spectacular and balletic, often involving several fighters performing a series of moves in unison.

The original Shaolin Buddhists devised kung fu as a means of protecting the temple from invaders. Soon, the exercises also were used to cultivate and focus the life force, known as "ch'i." Kung fu develops coordination, agility and control. It is entirely defensive, in keeping with Buddhist principles of nonviolence and nonconfrontation. When attacked with deadly force, a Shaolin warrior will respond with an immobilizing hold or a knock-out. His goal is to end the threat, not to kill his opponent.

The Shaolin Warriors perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at UW-Whitewater's Young Auditorium, 930 W. Main St. Tickets, $19-$34 general, $9.50-$17 students, are at the box office, (262) 472-2222, or online at uww.edu/youngauditorium.

[solo1]

saw them recently in cincinnati it was a great show.

[ghostexorcist]

On November 1, I went to a stage production at the Cincinnati Music Hall called "Shaolin Warriors." It was a two hour show of monks displaying their boxing and weapons prowess. The set design was beautiful, especially the mock temple which billowed mist. The back drops were gorgeous as well. One looked like a huge page from a boxing manual. They would drop this whenever they needed to change the set.

During this time, several monks gathered probably 30 children from the audience and lined them according to height all over the stage. The monk told them he would give them a kungfu lesson. He asked them if they were ready and then exploded into a lightning fast tornado of fist and legs. The kids just stood there dumbfounded. He finally showed them step-by-step and randomly repositioned children that were oriented wrong. They later did the same thing for two middle-aged men in the audience. Both were very funny.

The main curtain was the largest blowup of the famous painting of the light and dark-skinned monks practicing boxing I've ever seen.

Despite what the program booklet said, there was no discernable storyline other than the beginning, which showed monks of all ages stretching and training in the morning. The rest of the show was random displays of boxing and weapons.

It was awesome to see all of them doing forms in unison. It was like a rolling ocean of orange. The little monk kids were cute too. They were the comic relief.

Although I liked the show, it was not what I was expecting. I bought tickets to a show called "Shaolin: Circle of Life" (COL) roughly six years ago while I was still in the army, but didn't get to go. I later bought the dvd. COL had a very discernable story line which presented the history of the temple from it's founding to the destruction. Anytime a monk performed an animal style, a backdrop lit up of the corresponding fauna. They also performed several physical feats like metal bar and wooden dowel breaking, spear-on-throat, supporting a man on spears, bead of nails ans swords, and two-fingered handstands. They did perform some of these in the show I watched, but not all of them. It was still a neat experience, though.

I thought the "historical" info presented in the program booklet was funny. They claimed Bodhidharma founded the monastery. I think someone really needs to read up on the subject.