The Dream Lives On

The Dream of America is still what brings people to it's shores...........many Chinese Wushu Masters who are here have come to give their Children an opportunity to get an education and to get a chance to be who they want.  Certainly opportunity and business is much change from the past in China..........but there is just so many people there, and unless you are the best it's hard to rise to the top....and of course even at the top there are still more people..........Wushu is certainly a case of even among the best there is still better.....................I was on my way to Dinner the other day when I was walking up Geary Blvd and 20th Ave, when I came across a new Shaolin Temple Wushu School...........................right in my own Neighborhood!  I had seen the sign but it did not occur to me that it would be anyone I would know............so I walked in and sat down next to Vanessa's Family.....small world.............................their family have been my students since they were elementary students.  Fang Laoshi nin Hao.............turns out all the monks knew who I was................there were 13 coaches working out and just having fun.....Shi DeZheng was here up from his school in San Jose....many of the newly arrived monks from the Fremont Temple.  In talking with them....again the reason for coming to America other than to promote Shaolin Wushu is to find opportunity.........in China there just isn't enough to go around...............so the Dream still lives on for the fifth wave of Shaolin Monks.  America's job though is still to come thru with what it preaches...........consider for a moment, I know many Chinese and Asian Actors trying to break into the American Entertainment Industry.........................while many from Asia have had a chance....like Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh............................no Chinese or Asian American has made it yet............and too often Asians get stuck in one genre.....martial arts movies...........while more opportunity exists here.........Hollywood still has it's white standard for movies......One year, it was invited to perform for the Miss chinatown Pageant in Chinatown.....that was alot of fun, but it was also the first time I was to be introduced to the world of the Chinese Entertainers......many of the early organizers of the Pageant where from Tommy Toy's Night Club in Chinatown.........when I was young we only knew it as a place for Chinese Exotic Dancers...........in fact it was one of the only places Chinese Dancers, singers magicians.......could perform in California.  If you were lucky, maybe the day you were performing an agent from Hollywood might br there watching you.........but few were the one's who actually got a chance.....especially when you think often Hollywood preferred a white person to play the part of an Asian..............ever notice how Asian Steven Seagal tries to look.......oh and he's a reincarnation of a Tibetan Lama...........Having said all this though I still encourage you to seek out your dream...at least there is a chance here.................Gung=fu is what you need....and I don't mean the mistaken idea that that means martial art.....but hard work at your craft  and being ready to snatch opportunity when it occurs.  You might even say AnD is an indication of how many Asian Artist there are who are trying to make their mark in the world.....jiayo!

All the Shaolin Monks were working out at the new San Francisco Temple on Geary Blvd.

These guys can jump!

Twist anyone?

But in the end Shaolin Basics are the most important...power, speed, accuracy are the trademarks of Shaolin.

I talked to them awhile and wished best of luck in their new school.....really hard in this economy...but it's their own school and that's the best part!  I will drop by again when they have their official grand opening.  ok, time to go......Taiji is waiting!  Cyta!