Dear Friends,
亲爱的朋友们，
Happy New Year! We have several events I’d like to get on your radar, including Chinese New Year performances and our Sash Test. And as always, from parties and documentaries, to various martial arts articles and upcoming demo’s, you won’t want to miss out on the action at CMAA!
从讲座，比赛，表演以及其他精彩活动，每一项您都不容错过！
School Closings
停课安排
New Beginner Tai Chi Class
新的太极初学者课程
New Specialty Classes
新特殊系列课程
Sash Test
武术晋级考试
Chinese New Year’s Performances
春节晚会表演
CMAA on Instagram
关注中华武院Instagram
Holiday Dinner Party Recap
节日聚会晚餐回顾
Newest Black Belts – Calvin Young!
新晋黑带的学生
New Fashion- CMAA's New Look!
中华武术院时髦院衫：武院新形象
The Mystery of Qi
神奇的气：关于气的纪录片
A Unique Style of Kungfu
武松脱铐
The Secret of Shaolin Kungfu: Belief
少林功夫之奥秘：信念
Best-
祝好-
Shifu
师傅
SCHOOL CLOSINGS
We will be closed Jan. 1, New Year’s Day. We at CMAA look forward to continuing to work toward our martial arts, health and wellness goals together in 2019!
New Tai Chi Class for Beginners!
CMAA will be introducing a NEW 8 week beginner Tai Chi class on Wednesday morning from 9-9:45am. This class will start on Wednesday, February 6th. This class will focus on gentle movements that introduce new practitioners to fundamental Tai Chi movements and concepts.
Upon completion of our 8 week intro course, students may choose to either transition to our regular Tai Chi classes offered at various times throughout the week (Tues/Thurs/Sat 9am or Wednesday evening), or re-enroll in the 8 week program and continue to focus on just the essentials. Please call/text (518-755-7512) to register if you are interested. The cost is $67.50/month.
Schedule Changes!
Exciting Class Series!
Thursday Evening 6-7pm:
CMAA will be introducing a new rotational class series on Thursday evenings from 6-7pm. The series may include 1 day seminar specials or a series of classes for up to 6 weeks in a variety of courses including: Iron Palm, Chinese Calligraphy, Breakdancing, Wing Chun, Yoga, Fencing, Bully Proof, Self-Defense, Chinese Dance, Wrestling, or competition/demo team preparation.
For our first Thursday class we will be focusing on our preparation for our Chinese New Year performance. The practice will be held for performers (ranked light brown and above) who are participating in this year’s demo. If you are qualified and interested, please speak with Shifu about showcasing your talents with our team on stage! Stay tuned for details in next months newsletter to find out about our next class series!
Follow CMAA on Instagram!
Chinese New Year’s Performances!
It’s that time of year again- Chinese New Year Performances! Come see your teammates in action, showcasing their amazing martial arts to celebrate traditional Chinese culture as part of the Lunar New Year!
Performance Dates
Sat, Feb 2 Clifton Park Public Library
Sat, Feb 9 The Egg (to be confirmed)
For the Chinese New Year performance, all students ranked light brown and above are qualified to participate. It’s a special opportunity to work with your team to put on an exciting performance, showcasing a spectacular aspect of Chinese culture in our local community, with the amazing stage, backdrop and production at The Egg! If you’re interested in participating, speak with Shifu about which performance would be most appropriate. Aside, from The Egg’s Chinese New Year celebration, we do several other performances throughout the year, which may be appropriate for kids are different sash ranks.
Kungfu Sash Test
Students must arrive on time and be in full uniform to participate. Students who arrive late or out of uniform will be required to complete a makeup test.
We will be holding our quarterly Sash Test on Sunday, Jan 13th at 10:30am. If you are not sash testing you are still encouraged to come participate and support your teammates (no charge of course).
You know exactly what we will be testing but if you have any questions, check the Sash Requirements page on the website and feel free to clarify things with me during class.
If you are unsure whether or not you (or your child) are ready to test, please speak with me before or during class, via email at AlbanyCMAA@gmail.com or by phone (518) 755-7512.
Remember, you will not “get” your sash at CMAA – you will EARN it! There is a big difference. It’s important you (your child) learns the value of their sash- the value of hard work! Let’s stay focused and step up our training so we’re fully prepared for the test!
White/Yellow/Green/Blue: $25
Red/Purple/Orange: $50
Light Brown/Dark Brown/Gold: $75
Black: $100
CMAA’s Newest Black Belts
Our system of Kungfu, known as Wushu, primarily teaches a style called Changquan or Long Fist. This northern style of Chinese martial arts is known for its acrobatic emphasis of low crouching stances, and spectacular, spinning aerial kicks. It is amazing to watch, but very difficult to practice. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that while we focus our martial arts on our youth program, it’s not just because kids like this type of activity, but its also because it can be particularly challenging for adults who inherently weight more, fall harder and may have lost flexibility and suppleness over the years.
A few years ago a new student walked in the door. An adult, but he looked young, mid 20’s to early 30’s. I was shocked to find out he was turning 40 and did not have a martial arts background. Though I wish every student success, knowing just how challenging our particular style is, I wasn’t sure how our new classmate would fare.
Always smiling, Calvin is a focused, and conscientious worker. He has an impressive quickness to his movements, and equally impressive agility that is part natural but largely developed through years of consistent concentrated effort. He quickly, and quietly rose through the ranks and seemed to become an advanced senior student so naturally, that I hardly recall a time that he wasn’t.
Beyond his explosive jump kicks, sharp Tiger Crane hand techniques, and weapons handling, Calvin is the guy you’re thankful to have help you with your form, kindly sharing with you the details in each movement. He’s the guy that encourages you to try again when you fail, and cheers you on when you succeed. Plus, he’s kind enough to humor me and my terrible jokes. For all these reasons and more it’s my honor to award Calvin his black belt!
Please enjoy his video and his journey!
Watch these and understand what it means to earn your black belt at CMAA. Cool kicks and a dedicated spirit are only part of what you attain during the journey. Throw in family, friends, cultural appreciation and a sense of personal achievement and you're starting to get the idea.
Check out some of the newest members of CMAA’s Black Belt Hall of Fame!
https://www.martialartsalbany.com/cmaa-news/cmaa-black-belt-hall-of-fame
CMAA Holiday Dinner Party Recap
What a special get-together. With delicious food, good company and some fun games, it was a wonderful evening of eating, drinking and being merry. Although not everyone could make it, it was wonderful to get our long time students together with the new generation just beginning at CMAA. In the spirit of the holiday season, it was very special to spend our time together with our other family – the CMAA family. I look forward to celebrating with you all again next year.
Kungfu Uniform
CMAA has upgraded our fashion! If clothes make the man, then a uniform this stylish will definitely help you achieve martial arts mastery. These uniforms can be worn to practice, demo's, performances, and competitions! The cost is $36.
New school T-shirts are available as well!
“The Mystery of Qi”
Bill Moyers explores what in Chinese is called “Qi” (Energy) and helps us better understand this concept and how we might use this understanding to improve our own health. It’s a great episode and well worth watching.
Bill Moyers travels to China to learn about healing and the mind from another culture. “What I discovered in China was another way of thinking about mind and body, about health and illness and a phenomenon called chi,” Bill Moyers tells the audience in his introduction.
Later on in the episode, in a park where hundreds are practicing Tai Chi, he observes: “I can see that although traditional Chinese medicine seems alien to Westerners, it does have something to offer our practice with medicine. On the one hand there’s the practical contribution it can make, herbs for certain diseases, acupuncture. But there’s another level that’s becoming clear to me … that to these people it seems that health is not just the absence of illness, it’s a philosophy of life.
Unique Style of Chinese Kungfu
Most people are aware that beyond a variety of straight forward styles the teach punches, kicks, throws and joint locks, Chinese Kungfu has several very unique systems as well. Chinese Kungfu is renowned for it’s animal styles like eagle, snake and praying mantis (among many more), we well as drunken style, and styles based on the unique personalities of the various Buddhist guardians (Arhats). Another lesser known style in Chinese martial arts called Wu Song (Tuo Kao), or “Wu Song (a famous literary figure from the novel Outlaws of the Marsh) breaks the manacles”. The style is supposed to train the martial artists in a variety of fighting techniques for when ones hands are bound. Check it out!
The Secret of Shaolin Kungfu: Belief
Short but telling and inspiring description of Chinese Shaolin Kungfu.
SUMMARY
As usual please stay tuned for more exciting action at CMAA!
Best,
Shifu
