St Paul’s Open Day
An article by Shafagh Amiraftabi
Instructor
White Crane Martial Arts
On Saturday 9th January St Paul’s on Chapel Rd in Worthing had their open day. The plan was to perform two processions and two Lion Dances in the Town Centre, followed by a number of demos at St Paul’s. We were expected to have quite a presence at the Centre. I spent all week concerned as to how this was going to be achieved due to the Ice Age weather. Russell and I decided that if some of the guys were in agreement we would return to our house in Worthing with a small team so that if no one else made it on Saturday morning we would have some presence at St Paul’s.
So on a treacherous Friday evening after training Russell, myself, Kami Newton, Rob Martin, Kirsty Sloman, and Harry Dickinson made our way back to Worthing. We tucked into an evening of eating hot chilli, rice and drinking wine. It was going to be an early night and finally we made it to bed at a quarter to two in the morning after watching several Martial Arts films. We were all up again at six in the morning tucking into toasted tea cakes and consuming vast quantities of tea and coffee. We then set off for the Centre some on foot and some by car transporting all the Lion Dance equipment.
When we arrived at St Paul’s our first job was to walk along the route that the procession was to take to ensure that it would be safe. Russell, myself and Kami ventured out into the blizzard. After much discussion we decided to go ahead. Hilary Cook the organiser of this fantastic event was pleasantly surprised by our decision. Martial Artists are a breed in themselves. We promised to do this and so we did.
All through the day other White Cranists were arriving much to mine and the organisers surprise and joy. So before I proceed I want very much to thank the following students;-
From the Worthing Club Paddy Gladman, Carrie Hausdoerfer
From the Hove Club Joe Jones, Sita Vickery, Beth Armstrong, Darren Haynes and his son Oscar
From the Brighton Club Kami Newton, Rick Walker, Antonio Dal Bon, Kirsty Sloman, Rob Martin, Harry Dickinson, Gareth Moreton, Elpida Hadzi Vasileva, Sue Happs
I hope that I have not missed anyone out. We were ready for our first procession. The job of manning the stall was left to Elpi Hadzi Vasileva and Sue Happs. This is an extremely difficult job as anyone who has done so will testify. Potential students need reassuring, encouraging and inspiring. By the number of leaflets and information sheets we handed out I am sure that the day was a huge success.
In total we did three processions into Worthing Town Centre followed by three Lion Dances in the town. Two Lion Dances were performed at St Paul’s. Thank you to all those who carried the drum Rob Martin, Antonio Dal Bon and Harry Dickinson. They did so through the snow and ice. Thank you to all the musicians Beth Armstrong, Kirsty Sloman, Rick Walker and Gareth Moreton whose fingers were frozen onto the instruments. Thank you to Kami Newton and Joe Jones. These guys performed in total five Lion Dances. For me, our organisation is about exactly this, where everyone will go the extra mile. In my opinion there is absolutely no other organisation like ours.
We performed two demos through the day and demonstrated the following
Suang Yang
Two Man Suang Yang
Chi Kung
Sticking and Pushing Hands
Short Fan
Two Man Staff
First Dog Style Form
Drunken Style
13 Wonders
Twin Butterflies in Flight
Water Carrier
We started the day at six o’clock and were finished by five. After all the other stall holders had left White Crane stayed behind and we helped Hilary sweep and mop the Centre, as this is in our nature. We stick it to the end and finish a job well. We then went to the local Chinese where we tucked in to our favourite food and wine. We certainly deserved every mouthful.
My most joyous memory of the day was that everywhere I looked there were happy faces smiling and laughing. I asked for support for an event to promote my club in Worthing and you all did this and more. Saturday the 9th January has entered the book of legendary days.
Well done to White Crane and thank you to our Chief Instructor Russell Suthern who was with us all every step of the way, leading from the front.
St Paul’s Open Day
An Article by Beth Armstrong
I like to take the opportunity to get involved in White Crane events because it is always such a good atmosphere and a real bonding experience. The St Paul’s Demo day was all this and more! It was inspiring to watch the Kung Fu and weapons demos and I especially liked the synchronised patterns. I enjoyed taking part in the Tai Chi demo and I thought it was very effective for Shaf to perform the pattern surrounded by people doing Chi Gung exercises, Pushing Hands and Sticky Hands. The highlight of the day for me was the Lion Dances. There is nothing like the experience of being part of a performance, it is truly exhilarating. It was wonderful to entertain people in the snow and ice and raise the profile of our club. I absolutely love being part of the Lion Dance team and I am so glad I started. I have been attending classes for a few months and as well as being very martial and a great work out, it is so creative and expressive. I highly recommend trying a class, especially if you have any interest in music or dance. And it is free! Hope to see you there!
St Paul’s Open Day
An Article by Richard Walker
Like many of us making our way through the snow and frost to Worthing early last
Saturday morning, I suspected that the weather might well have put off the organizers and the public and that we would be swiftly dispatched back to our warm beds. Nevertheless, with typical grit (-not the kind used on the slippery roads), we all made our way safely to the venue. We were greeted by an advance party already hard at work clearing paths, setting up the White Crane Martial Arts stall and testing the route for the Lion Dance procession. Rather than a short day and a damp
squib, this proved to be a long active day, as we rose to the challenge of filling in for missing performers, and provided several Lion Dances and two martial arts demos. I will have fond memories of some splendid moments, the lettuce landing on the tot, frantic reactions from passing hounds and some unusual reservations voiced about the ‘martial content’ of our martial arts demo! My utmost respect goes to the tireless energy of those such as Kami, Joe and Shaf who took the Lion’s share (pun permitting) of the performance duties, but to everyone who participated that day.
Something wonderful happens when people pull together to try and achieve something against the odds and as with other club activities I know many of us will look back with (…a Lion’s…) pride at our achievement on that winter day. How much of that day would we remember, I wonder, if we had been deterred and sat around indoors sofa surfing instead?
St Paul’s Open Day
An Article by J. Gareth Moreton
January 9th 2010… Britain is in the midst of an arctic grip, and people are advised not to travel due to ice and snow… didn’t stop us from going to Worthing to put on a day-long demonstration for the public! While others were wrapped up warm or stayed at home, we were there out in the town centre doing Lion Dances in our T-shirts, dancing and jumping around with huge smiles on our faces… and that was just the cymbalists! Ultimately, we did not one, but FIVE Lion Dances, three of them outside against a snowy backdrop, and two inside the community centre along with Kung Fu and Tai Chi demos, ending on a high with Kami performing Drunken Crane, on a hardwood floor as is our custom, and three of us, Rob, Harry and myself, performing a synchronised 1st Dog Style Form, all to an audience who could only say “Ow” to every break-fall! We have a growing reputation of being tough and not willing to let anything stand in our way, and this day proved that outright.