RIP Lau Kar Leung Sifu

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Alex Cheung Lau kar Leung Sifu

Hong Kong 25 June 2013 – This morning Hong Kong director Lau Kar Leung sifu passed away at age 76. He is a legendary Martial Artist who influenced the whole film industry in Martial Arts films, where his nickname ‘Kungfu Leung’ came from. He had been battling lymphatic cancer for two decades.


Gordon Liu and Alex CheungLau was the third child of Lau Cham (Lau Jaam, 劉湛), a martial arts master who studied Hung Gar under Lam Sai-wing, a student of Wong Fei-hung.[4] Lau, a fourth-generation direct disciple of martial arts legend Wong Fei-Hung and a lifelong practitioner of the Hung Kuen discipline, was most famous for his directorial efforts The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), starring Kill Bill’s Gordon Liu (Left picture), and Drunken Master II with Jackie Chan, which also won him the Best Action Choreography Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1994. He has a brother who makes a living in the film industry, actor/choreographer Lau Kar-wing, as does Gordon Liu, Lau’s pupil and godson to Lau’s father, Lau Cham. His nephew Lau Kar-yung (son of his older sister) is also an actor, choreographer and director as seen on the picture right. When he speaks, I can see that they have the same way of talking, the intonation is so similar.

Alex Cheung and Lau Kar Yung 2011

Lau began training students Hung Gar before the age of 5 and was already quite proficient in the style. Bruce Lee treated Lau as an elder uncle and asked him for advice in regards to his film career.

Lau’s directing work was characterized by a strict adherence to the principles of martial arts. He continued his work as action choreographer and director until 1994, when he made Drunken Master IIand III and was diagnosed with lymphoma. He survived the disease and made a directorial comeback in 2003 with Drunken Monkey, which he starred in along with his martial arts protégé Liu. In 2007, at the age of 70, he served as action choreographer and in a supporting role in Tsui Hark’s Seven Swords.

Lau was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2010 for his contribution to the martial arts film genre.

More info about Master Lau

 

Feiyues Lo Sneakers

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Feiyues are very good sneakers for practicing Kung Fu. I often recommend them to my students and friends. They are light weight, low sneakers with good grip. And they look fashionable, good summer shoes! I train everyday in Feiyues outside. When they get dirty I wash them. And when they are damaged after time, I simply order a new pair of Feiyue sneakers. My favorite color is white. The black and white version is the traditional one from Shanghai. Feiyue is introducing new lines also with low and mid low to high sneakers with different colors.

Do you also wear Feiyues?? And what is your experience with these martial arts sneakers?

 

Order your Feiyues @ Wudao

http://wudao.nl/shop/index.php?route=product%2Fproduct&product_id=50

Kung Fu workshop

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This morning I gave a Kung Fu lesson at a local Dutch college. The students were around 17/18 years old. I am glad that this school pays extra attention to sports and Martial Arts, especially allowing me to introduce Chinese Kung Fu to this group of students. Karate, Teakwondo, Judo are all familiar sports. But how about Chinese Kung Fu? Which is the father of various Martial Arts.

I asked them to describe Kung Fu in 1 word. The Dutch students in majority said 1 word : ‘Complicated’. Now I was thinking, why does it seems so complicated to these youngsters?  It might because of the rather new and unknown movements of Kung Fu. It comes from the far East, and I can say there is zero attention in the Dutch media about Chinese Kung Fu. What people get to see are the fancy kicks and people flying around in such Kung Fu movies. Which is of course not a realistic image of the Arts of Chinese Kung Fu. We start the class with the Kung Fu greeting and the experience starts. Actually, with proper explanation and guidance, the students learn very fast. The PE teacher recorded the class for evaluation. The students have to learn the theory as well and pass the test. In my opinion all schools should have Kung Fu classes once in a while, simply because of the many benefits of practicing it. (stretching, basic stances, proper body structure, tai chi, self defence) Chinese Kung Fu is a valuable Art.

When I finished teaching I wandered around in the school. It gaves me some old memories from the college time. Now looking back it was a wonderful time isn’t it?

This is what happened when the Kung Fu class starts!

I’m just kidding, the school bell rang.

6 July 2012 – Falling leaf

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Today, i felt so good because I got my study points! But I also have a less good message. The happy news is that I’m at the last check point of completing my study International Marketing Management at the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences!! The bad news is that one of my Kung Fu buddies, is leaving.. i mean he is still there as a person but not active in the group anymore. Kind of retiring? It is such a pity.. he is gifted at what he does. To me it feels weird, a kind of emptiness feeling?

 

NED 1 – Stellen (Kung Fu Buddies Alex Cheung & Koon Chan from the Wudao Dragons)

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This morning on air Dutch National TV Channel 1 (NEDERLAND 1) broadcasting this interview about our relationship as Kung Fu buddies with Koon Chan (Wudao Dragons).

I still remember in 2008, 5th of May. That day we went to Wageningen to promote Chinese Martial Arts. It is the Dutch national liberty day.  There was a big festival going on. It is one of our first performances, and we never thought we’ll be broadcasted on Dutch National TV talking about Chinese Martial Arts. Now, the same day but 4 years later our interview on air. It is just so symbolic, just shows how interesting life is.

In the near future, I hope to share more and get more opportunities for TV program broadcasts. I will work hard and all support will be appreciated!

“Alex was negen toen hij de 15-jarige Koon leerde kennen op de Martial Arts opleiding. Nu vijftien jaar later vertellen ze over hun vriendschap, Chinese discipline en de liefde voor Martial Arts.”

www.facebook.com/alexcheung.nl for more behind the scenes photos!

http://www.nederland1.nl/gemist/39456

Get Microsoft Silverlight Bekijk de video in andere formaten.

http://www.spirit24.nl/content/stellen-alex-en-koon

Wudao Kungfu lesson

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We had the opening of the Wudao Kungfu lessons in our new gym studio @ Welgelegen sports centre. It is always exciting how many students are joining the class. You’re waiting in the studio and doing some warming up. Luckily while warming up another group of students came in. We’re hoping to encourage more women to participate in our training lesson. Down below, Vanessa made some nice pictures and video.

Wudao Kungfu makes the difference to bring authentic kungfu over in a modern interactive way. It is informative and fun. The regular lessons are given every week on Thursday eve.

Photo album on www.facebook.com/wudao.nl

Celebrate Chinese New Year with us Sunday 22nd in Utrecht

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Hello everyone,

This is the 2nd time we celebrate the Chinese New Year in Utrecht city at Rasa world cultural centre. I have been contributing to the programming and the participation of Wudao in this event. For the PR promotion of this event I made  a Teaser video in 3 days. I think this is the first cooperation between Wudao & aCreations. I believe in the near future we will produce more and more creative arts together. During the filming process a lot of people stood by and were curious what we are doing at the ‘Oudegracht’ in Utrecht city. Some were filming us and taking pictures with us.

I was totally focused on the filming part, because I didn’t had enough time to prepare and had a just a few days to deliver the video. Everybody volunteered in this project, so it was hard to count on the attendance that day. But we make the best out of it and it had a great effect. Although the cold weather we still had fun together. I was worrying whether I could finish filming before the sun goes down. The day started with a bad news, a message that the lead actor couldn’t come, he was sick. So we changed a bit of the storyline and I stepped in to play a bigger part in the film. It is stressful because you want to focus on one thing rather than 2 different things, or 3, production, filming and acting. At the end we’re all satisfied and got positive reactions. I can go with it since it was a last minute project.

Moreover

Read Article: http://kosmopolisutrecht.blog.com/2012/01/19/wu-dao-is-klaar-voor-jaar-van-de-draak/

Come and join us @ utrecht Rasa, I am in the programming of this Chinese New Year event and will be performing Kung Fu and giving a workshop that day. Kung Fu panda will be there giving out lucky money! Don’t miss it 😀
This year we focus on the younger generation of Dutch Chinese society. Artists, musicians, filmmakers will show their work at Rasa Utrecht!

Empty your Tea cup

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“If you truly seek understanding, then first, empty your cup!” A common saying in Martial Arts circles . . .

 

 

It reminds me from this famous quote by Bruce Lee: “Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

Dancing with Water – The Way to Discern the Wisdom of Life

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The Highest State of Good – Water choreographed and directed by Miranda Chin, we met each other in Wudang mountain by fate, I was their to learn from Tao and Wudang Kung Fu and she was their for inspiration. Now we’ve become good friends. And this evening i’m invited to her performance.

Dancing with Water – The Way to Discern the Wisdom of Life
25-26 November 2011 (Fri-Sat) 20.00
Hong Kong Theatre, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre

Tickets $150,- / $180,-

 

Funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council’s Multi-project Grant, Miranda Chin Dance Company will be presenting the multifaceted aspect of contemporary Chinese culture and dance by way of a series of lectures/workshops and exhibitions in various universities in 2009-2010, introducing Chinese philosophy, martial arts, taichi, traditional Chinese medicine, sculpture, wall art, folk dance, literature and Chinese operas, etc., in order that today’s students can experience first-hand and understand the origin of Chinese culture and the development and creation of contemporary arts, thereby enhancing their knowledge of Chinese culture.

1.) Wuji – “Philosophy, Martial Arts, Taichi”
Chinese martial arts is a unique philosophy of body movements. In terms of space, time and form, it not only assumes the beauty of sculpture and dynamics, but is also a rich combination of solid movements. No wonder Tai Chi is reputed to be the most typical of all martial arts dances. The content mainly introduces the concept of taijirumu (“taichi in dance”), which means the assimilation of the element of taichi martial arts into dance and matching it with different kinds of music to present a new mode of artistic performance. Traditional taichi is consisted of rhythmic motions of various kinds of circles. Taichiquan’s cadence is guiding qi with consciousness and achieving the oneness of form and spirit. “Stillness in motion, motion in stillness. Looks still yet mobile, looks mobile yet still.” Also introduced is the history of the dance company’s creation of the seven episodes of the Wuji series, as well as the relationships between martial arts and Chinese culture.

The younger Chinese generation (invitation)

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This year is the celebration of 100 years Chinese in Holland. We have seen a lot from the first and second generations Chinese in Holland now, and wondering what will the future look like with the younger Chinese generation. Therefore 20 youngsters are selected to be portrayed in this exhibition.

There will be portraits about  their ambition, dreams and future. It is my honor to be showcased as one of the youngsters during this exhibition and a pleasure to me working with Eveline and Pay-Uun for the interview and photo session.

Stopera is literally the combination of the city hall of Amsterdam and Opera (music theater) in one building in the center of Amsterdam.

The photo show will be available until 2 December 2011 in the Stopera Amsterdam. This Saturday 29th of October, 14.00 – 16.00 Andre Es (wethouder/alderman) will be opening this great event with a speech.

Hope to you meet you there.

Photos by Eveline Renaud professional photographer  &  Documented by Volkskrant journalist Pay-Uun Hiu

Source: http://www.100jaarchinezen.nl/