Kung Fu Moves

Back when I was visiting Aizuwakamatsu Japan (会津若松市) I had the good fortune to be invited to participate in a motion capture session with Eyes Japan. Don't get me wrong -- my kung fu is not something to brag about. But what I loved about the session was the concept of capturing kung fu moves in general-- for posterity. That is, by it's very nature, kung fu is not something that can be easily recorded in a book. There's no standard, easy way to transcribe the movements. When one makes a study of kung fu it has to be passed down through direct observation. In that sense it's kind of like an oral tradition -- you have to hear and learn the stories to hand them forward from one generation to the next.

What I liked about the mo' cap was that I had a sense that the kung fu moves could be recorded for posterity. The tradition I study is Wah Lum Tam Tui (northern mantis style) kung fu. Kung Fu itself has a long history going back a thousand years. I've been studying it myself for more years than I care to count. I engage in kung fu for the physical exercise, but also for mental and spiritual discipline. Kung fu exercises not just body but also mind.

The motion capture effort was quite valuable to me inasmuch as that it serves as a sort of record -- a visual log or diary -- of a long standing and beautiful cultural tradition.

Pole Dance

While visiting Eyes Japan, they happened to be capturing a different type of motion than the kung fu. But it was fun to watch! So I included it here :) ...