Traditional Martial Arts Center
Chinese New Year Celebration

Feb 28, 2010

at the Traditional Martial Arts Center

 By Jeanie “Wu”

 Photo by Gary Lau

The Chinese New Year came late this year, falling in mid-February.
Many of Orlando’s largest celebrations were booked up weeks in advance,
leaving people interested in attending a New Year’s party to look farther a field
for their holiday entertainment. One notable event took place at the
Traditional Martial Arts Center, just east of downtown Orlando.

In all cultures, the depths of winter are a time to regroup and keep the fires of
one’s hopes and desires alight, looking to the advent of the return of the sun
in the spring. Chinese New Year’s Festivities are a shining example of this
life-stirring type of event. Where ever they have traveled, Chinese people have
kept this tradition alive and we are all the richer for their efforts. The Traditional Martial Arts Center has followed these time honored traditions and is to be commended for the heart they put into this year’s event.

There were feats of agility, strength, endurance, beauty and accomplishment
shown that afternoon to an enthusiastic crowd of all ages. The audience
was treated to demonstrations of a wide variety of forms, including Tang Soo Do, Judo, the incredibly gymnastic Brazilian Capoeira, Hung Fut Pat Kungfu, T’ai Chi (Yang & Zheng Style), Wudang Fuhuquan (Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon) and the brilliant Filipino Arnis, (both bare handed and with various traditional whips).
A steady Sifu held a piece of paper for the Arnis Master to shear with his whip into increasingly smaller pieces and before it was over, the paper was in tiny pieces:
A feat that in the past one would have to go to a Wild West Show
with Annie Oakley to witness!

Notably there was Lion Dancing, which is really a ‘must see’ during the New Years celebrations, as viewing a Lion Dance is reputed to insure good luck throughout
the ensuing year. Much to my delight the Center had not one but two lions dancing the Traditional Southern Lion Dance! We also were treated to a very special ceremony in which the pupils of the lions are painted to enliven them! When the great drum began to sound and the cymbals began to crash, the lions really
seemed to wake up! They first bowed and honored all the attending Masters,
Sifus and Instructors before bowing to the audience and then performed
with incredible grace and expressiveness. One could see that the lion heads
were heavy, like the elaborate masks of Native American Kachina Dancers,
and that it took great training and strength to keep the lively nature of the movements bright through out the performance. Hats off to those dedicated students who gave such a fine show!

There was a wonderful banquet following all the demonstrations and a fun time
was had by all eating and catching up with old friends, which is part of the very reason for this special holiday. Next year, do mark your calendar and try to make this exceptional Chinese New Year’s Party a part of your celebrations.

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