Beijing Wushu Team

[Drunk Monk]

Beijing Wushu Team @ Flint Center 11/20/5

The first time I saw the BWT must have been around the early 80's. Since then, I've dragged a few of you to see them - in fact, I remember a fine adventure in S.Cal where DOOM crossed paths with the BWT. Last night's show was $50 to get in, but I had comps, of course, for me, Tara and my parents. The house was 2/3rds empty at that price.

Wushu has undergone a lot of evolution with its failed push to become an Olympic event. They are doing some crazy moves now, just crazy. The thing is that they are so freakin' fast that most people can't see it, can't tell the difference. The show was uneven - it opened with a local group, Ernie Reyes, now pushing 60, who all beat on taiko drums and did lots of flips in klingon costumes, plus this weird rifle guard routine with shinai - totally disrrespectful to the weapon - kendo players have very strict rules about how to handle a shinai so it was a huge wtf? to any traditionalist. But the audience seemed amused. Tara liked that they did their own music and had kids performing.

The BWT themselves were amazing as always, but too few sparring sets, which are my personal favorites. Also it was pretty standard stuff - no sledgehammers, no rope dart even - just swords, staff, spear, pudao. There was the old routing of girls beat up boys, which was amusing but not spectacular. All in all, it was somewhat disappointing, but some of the new jump flips are just crazy. My folks liked it. Tara liked it. My boss and I were a bit disappointed. Now I have to write a review, which is a lot better than dropping $50 for each ticket...

[Drunk Monk]

This was the biggest BWT troupe since that 80's show and included the reigning world taiji women's champ, the China national men's champ and the villain kid from Karate Kid (2010, not sweep the leg, Johnny). There were two earlier Stanford shows where a $45 ticket got you bleacher seats, and two Palace shows on the same day where $45 got you in the house and the front tow rows were $100. I took S&T to the final show with comped 2nd row middle seats. Ah yes, the perks of my job. Our company helped w/publicity, did a big photo shoot with the team, and treated them all to lunch (over $300) and got qi? shirts (which some of them wore at the performances ). The house was about 1/3rd full.

It was fun. The promoter didn't waste time and just got straight to the action. The men's champ was lightning fast and could hang in the air forever. The KK villain did a delightful sparring form against multiple assailants. The women's taiji champ was mesmerizing - so centered, long and beautiful, with the most amazing leg skills - the epitome of grace and power. S even commented on how she couldn't take her eyes off her. There were also two Shaoliners who made the team - one gal from Taguo who was downright scary (S commented that she wouldn't want to meet her in a back alley). T loved the Monkey staff as we're reading Journey to the West as a bedtime story (I thought that he was mediocre actually but I liked his plucking and blowing hair move at the end). The sparring forms were outrageous fun. There was also a dazzling spear demo. The Pudao demo was my main gripe as they now have this habit of shaking them just to make noise and that's just silly. All in all, a great show.