Tai chi at Chinese New Year celebrations
This year, the Alberton Shun Wu Tang Kung Fu club was privileged to be invited by the Chinese Association of South Africa to do a Kung Fu performance at the Chinese New Year Festival
THE Chinese New Year celebrations kicked off with a bang in downtown Johannesburg on January 28.
This time of the year coincides with spring in China, so New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. If you were born in 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 or 2017, your Chinese zodiac is the Rooster, and you are likely to have the characteristics of honesty, health and confidence.
On the downside, Roosters are believed to be moody and stressed and can be over-sensitive.
According to the Chinese calendar, Roosters are social people, so make sure you stay connected to your social networks and make 2017 a wonderful, successful year.
This year, the Alberton Shun Wu Tang Kung Fu Club was privileged to be invited by the Chinese Association of South Africa to do a kung fu performance at the Chinese New Year Festival held in Johannesburg.
The festival, where street vendors provided a wonderful selection of food, was attended by around 8 000 people.
The entertainment started off with a performance of Chinese drumming, followed by the Alberton Shun Wu Tang Kung Fu demonstration. More drumming, then a tai chi performance by Alberton Tai Chi Ways.
Other traditional martial arts demonstrations continued, along with Chinese songs.
Then it was the turn of the Dragon Dance, followed by the Lion Dance, which went down the street blessing all the shops and bringing goodwill to the shopkeepers. The night then erupted with a spectacular fireworks display.
The Alberton Shun Wu Tang performance started with a hand form knows as Zhong Yi Quan (Fist of the Loyal & Faithful), followed by long-staff and nanchaku weapon demonstrations. Two more hand forms followed: Mother of Luohan and Shed Off the Shell, with the performance finishing off with two more weapon forms, the Chinese broadsword and the kwando.
For some of the relatively new students, this was their first opportunity performing in front of a crowd, so it was a wonderful experience for them.
“The Alberton Shun Wu Tang Kung Fu Club felt privileged to be part of this festival, and our thanks go to the Chinese Association of SA, and Craig Boden of Alberton Tai Chi Ways, for facilitating our inclusion in this exciting event. We are already looking forward to next year’s New Year celebration,” said the club.
*Article by Ian Peach.