Can't wait for the grading in November

[Ozpunker]

I'm only going for my orange belt which I have everything down pat.

I'm more excited that it is the 15th anniversary for our club. It's the first time we will be grading from yellow belt all the way to 3rd or 4th dan (Currently, there have only been 2 guys to get 4th). I've been asked by a few of the higher ranks to help with their grading. One guy going for his 3rd dan asked me to help with self defense (I pretty much attack him and he throws me around like a rag doll).

The thing I can't wait to be involved in is helping out 2 people get their 1st dan. Part of the 1st dan grading is showmanship where the pretty much make a choreographed fighting routine showing off certain criteria. Over the years it has become something to look forward to as people put alot of effort into it to make it enjoyable for the spectators. Past exhibits include music, costumes, having people planted in the audience challenging them to fights etc. sometimes they can be comical in nature.

The two I'm involved in have a Matrix theme and Star Wars theme respectfully.

Matrix is loosely based on some of the fight scenes from the movie. Shows self defense with various weapons. I've learned how to use the Jo just for this..

The Star Wars show will be loved. It's been kept a secret from everyone who's not directly involved in it. The guy going for his 1st dan has a son who trains in the kid's class. The son is dressing up as Yoda and he as Obi-Wan. They fight/spar with Bastons painted to be lightsabers to the Star Wars theme music. Once they finish the cantina music starts where I and 2 others dressed in monster masks come out to attack Obi_Wan. We attack him once where his uses basic self defense to stop us. We won;t stay down... he turns to Yoda who over the microphone tells him the "Use the force". He "uses the force" and attacks the first monster using one of our katas, uses his lightsaber to cut up the 2nd.. as he and the last monster face up, the monster gets scarred, drops his weapon and runs away.

As I said, It's sometimes comical in nature but incorporates techniques of our style. They get to show off the skills but everyone has a fun time during it. Also, this only makes up for one section of the grading. The rest is very serious stuff.

[Truestar]

That's awesome that your school integrates that kind of entertainment but still manages to have serious tests and testees. Best of luck!

[bushido_man96]

It sounds like it should be a ball! Good luck, and have fun!

[DWx]

Good Luck!

The demo part sounds pretty cool! We do something similar where we have to choreograph a self defense senario but it has to be a straight attackers vs victim.

[Patrick]

Good luck to you.

[tallgeese]

Good luck.

[white owl]

Good luck to you and have fun.

[tallgeese]

Well, it's November. It must be coming up soon. Let us know how it goes.

[Ozpunker]

I did my grading yesterday and got my orange belt. Didn't get tips but that's a whole other story.

The other stuff went rather well. Star Wars themed showmanship went off without a hitch and everyone seemed to like the Matrix based fight as well even despite a few hiccups.

Part of the routine involved a chair being broken over someone's back.. I got a call the day before the grading from the guy making the chair saying it wasn't working. I had to rush out and quickly put something together from junk in the shed. The final product worked well.

During the fight we were supposed to fight with Sibats. I specially made the weapon to be used by the lead character to first be used as a Sibat to attack me and then be perfectly broken in half to be used as Bastons to fight another person.... During the first part of our fight I must have hit it too hard and it broke too early... We carried on anyways and not everyone seemed to notice.

[Ozpunker]

There was plenty of video footage taken. I'll be sure to post it once it's been cut and edited... Should make for some good viewing.