2005 Chinese New Year Celebration

[SiGung Vincent A. Cabais]

Attention all Students!

The 2005 AD Chinese New Year (Year of the Rooster) Celebration is upon us.  The Saint Louis MO Chapter will be hosting this year's event.

Date:  Saturday, 12 February 2005

Celebration:  11:00 am

Tournament:  2:00 pm

Location:  8348 Olive Blvd., Suite # B & C, (University City) St. Louis, MO 63132

Directions:  View Map

This year will be a special event as we will be conducting an 'Opening Eye' Ceremony for one of our new lions.  We have invited various Leaders from the Chinese Community and some priests from the Buddhist Temple to participate this year.  Guro (Sifu) Joe Craig has also been invited and some of our other neighboring Sifus.  We hope that they will celebrate with us and possibly conduct various demonstrations.

Anyone from our school or the Tong is welcome to invite as many guests as you like.  Please let us know how many you are inviting so that we have enough refreshments available.

I will also be doing a Kuen (Form) that most of you have not seen before.  Most of you know that I do not typically perform since it is a belief with most Sifus that "the only way to shine is through your students".  However, I typically do a demonstration every four years.  This demonstration is contingent on the Saint Louis MO Chapter being up to my standards.  The renovations at this location need to be finished!  Pride needs to be present!  If you would like to volunteer for this project… contact Dai-Sihing Kevin Sears and/or Dai-Sihing Matt Talbert.  They could use any help available for this project.

This year’s In-School Tournament will be the same with a few minor changes.  The Grand-Championship Division will be judged by ‘Ma Bu’ or Horse Stance.  There will no longer be an ‘Instructor’s Division’.  However, most of the Instructors will be conducting an exhibition.  Also, guests are not allowed to stay for the Tournament unless they have come from outside of Saint Louis MO or if they are assisting with the celebration.

We arte going to need many items for this event and any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

[SiGung Vincent A. Cabais]

I just wanted to give everyone an update on the upcomming celebration.

The 'Public Celebration' for our VIP(s) and guests will start at 11:00 am with the Lion's Blessing of the Saint Louis MO Chapter.  We are including our grand opening at that time.  Demonstrations, food, "Opening Eye" ceremony, etc. will last until 1:00 pm or so. Our In-School Tournament will starting at 2:00 pm.  If there are guests traveling from out-of-town... we will allow them to stay for the tournament.

Any questions?

[SiGung Vincent A. Cabais]

I just wanted to take a moment to comment on this year's celebration.

As usual... I was a resounding success!  I was so glad that we had so many worthy quests participate in our 8th Annual event.  I was also glad to see so many students make the journey from Springfield, Arkansas, Rolla and especially Kansas City.

I did feel a bit 'cornered' by our "Master of Ceremonies" though.  Oh well!  Thank you Chris!  Some of you may know what I'm talking about.  Our 6,000 sq ft. facility was barely able to handle all of the people in attendance.

I am supprised that the "In-School Tournament" was over so quickly.  I guess after so many years conducting these types of events helps you to get better at them.  If you can learn from your mistakes that is.

Does anyone have a comment on any part of the event?  What did you enjoy?  What would you like to see in the future?  I pray that everyone had a great time and I look forward to seeing everyone together again next year.

[Gene Dobbs Bradford]

On behalf of all of the students I am sure, I would like to express my thanks to you Sifu for your demonstration.  I know it is not something that you usually do, so we were very excited that you agreed to do it.  I appreciate your philosophy that a teacher shines best through their students, however, for us students it is a great inspiration for us to see Kung Fu performed at the highest levels. It is very beneficial for us to see for ourselves what is possible through years of hard work, dedication and perseverance.  Your demonstration, those of the Sihings and the performances turned in by my fellow students during the competition have strengthened my resolve to train harder and more consistently in the coming year.

Thank you once again, it was a magnificent demonstration!

PS:  The school looked fantastic! Kudos to Sihings Kevin and Matt.  No one worked harder than those two to get the school ready.  I think they should be very proud as should we all to have such a fine looking school.

 

[Matt Heckman]

It was really an exciting event for me.  I was unable to attend last year's celebration, so this was my first.  My only regret was that I didn't enter more than the weapon forms division.  Now that I know what to expect, you can look forward to my name on all the sign-up sheets next year.

Perhaps next year we could do a bit more student demostrations for the public too?  It was fantastic to see the Sihings do their stuff and especially the treat you gave us, Sifu...but I'd like to see perhaps each school do a routine that they've worked on during the previous year.  Like a few students from one chapter could do a combat routine and another could do some forms, etc.  Basically something for the students from each chapter to show off to the public and their fellow students how well they are doing.  I know I'd love to do it.

What do you think? 

[Lena]

In the future I would like to see a Lion Dance division in addition to the weapons, forms and sparring.  I'm not entirely sure how that would work, but I think it would be fun.