Why The Pauses?

[tonydee]

Kata/Form is the music of any said martial art. Kata/Forms are sometimes referred to as a dance. One can't dance if the music doesn't come alive. A Kata/Form without the music isn't a bueaty to behold; monotonic Kata/Form is movement that's asleep from boredom.

The pauses found become as much as a part of the drama, or the play, that's on display as the Kata/Form itself. As in any good play, theatrics must be present to be enjoyed and to be shared and to be experienced, but, not for just the practitioner of the martial arts, but, also for the spectator as well.

A pause is delivered in a play as the visual cue within the drama of the play. A pause in a play causes the audience to wonder what's going to happen next. For example, the snapping turn of the head in a Kata/Form speaks loud in visual volumes. Another example, the facial gestures in a Kata/Form create chills in the audience.

For a play to be performed well, all of the players must be know their roles and in knowing their roles, body language that's appreciated and understood must be included within the script.

While understanding and respecting other's right to practice like this, I have strongly divergent ideals in my own pattern practice. I care not at all about any audience, nor drama for drama's sake, nor whether my performance is a bore to watch or not. I do want a student watching to be affected by my performance, but I want it to be a sense of awe, terror even, and a call to improve their own performance.

I'm sure it's not a uniquely American thing, but being more footage around from there, I have noticed that the American patterns tournaments I've seen footage of are generally very disturbing for their deliberate effort to appear like flashy loud-mouthed psychopaths, with core body mechanics long forgotten. The average ITF world championships are equally disturbing for emphasis on showcasing flexibility and sine wave at the expense of power, telegraphing, speed, defensive position, vision, application, balance - ultimately applicability and practicality. Team patterns are typically even sadder, with all attempts at strong movement reigned back to improve control and predictability of timing. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but this is a sore point! Patterns have so much more to offer.

All I care about in delivering my patterns is that they both express and develop my fighting ability - physically, technically and mentally. If that doesn't have the side effect of inspiring students, then they're not paying enough attention, but I haven't generally found that to be a problem.

A) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, where they are/aren't?

D) What do the pauses, in Kata/Form, depict?

Pauses should appear after a sequence of connected movements, the conclusion of which represents an escape from immediate threat. So, they tend to appear at the end of a sequence of counter attacks, or where some fast footwork, deflection or dodging might carry you clean past an attacker.

There is no such thing as moving too fast within such a sequence, but increasing the speed of correct body mechanics is the priority - not rushing through a hollow outward resemblance of the moves. In this, I feel the Luca Valdesi video linked above shows he's gone too far: watching the movements around 1:14, he doesn't take the time to bend and straighten his back leg powerfully generating real power through his movement. He's not moving like someone trying to make each technique do its job - more like someone conscious of being watched. That ellusive mix of control and snappiness shouldn't be at the price of simplifying or shortening into uselessness the fundamental body movements and their overlapping timing.

B) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, as long as they are/aren't?

Generally, I consider it the practitioners business how long they make the pauses. They should attune themselves to their performance, and start the next subsequence when it feels right. They might take time to reach for the relaxation to start it untelegraphed, although hopefully they'll have increasing control over attaining that state as their training progresses. Generally, if they pause longer then I'd hope for a more refined performance of the next sequence, one way or another (which doesn't mean controlled - releasing and controlling more energy may be the refinement sought).

C) Why are the pauses, in Kata/Form, as often as they are/aren't?

As above, in my patterns they relate to sequences. Long sequences suggest would suggest you're having a hard time concluding an exchange, or dealing with an absurdly large number of simultaneous or nearly-so attackers. For handling the latter, a properly crafted pattern should encourage footwork to engage some while outrunning others, again creating sequences and allowing some pause.

E) Are the pauses, in Kata/Form, important?

Not as much as you might think. The movements are important. If the practitioner can proceed with only a minimal pause, and they're in the right frame of mind and physically able to do so cleanly, then that's fine too, but having at least some pause is good as it reminds one to take stock and stay outwardly focused - reactionary to the imaginary attackers - rather than inward. It shouldn't feel like you're setting your own pace without developing a feeling of awareness, reaction, timing and distancing....

F) Should there be more/less pauses, in Kata/Form?

I can't speak for other pattern sets, but the Chang Hon patterns I practice seem to be about right.

G) Why are Kata's/Forms performed the way they are?

There are so many aspects to, and so many ways they're performed by different people, that I can't even begin to answer.

H) Was this how the originator of said Kata/Form created it?

I'm not sure, and I doubt many people know. Perhaps some video of Nam Tae Hi in the 50s would answer that, but I've never seen any. From what I can gather (not having met the man), Choi Hong Hi didn't seem to like to do more than an isolated movement or two at seminars, and anything the ITF has put out in the last 20 years will be markedly different from the origins anyway.

As always, a thought-provoking thread from sensei8... thanks!

Cheers,

Tony

[WireFrame]

Very brief pauses give the kata a more structured, purposeful, and energetic look when coupled with performing very fast and accurate individual techniques. Floating through a kata in one movement always looks weak.

[Wado-AJ]

Very brief pauses give the kata a more structured, purposeful, and energetic look when coupled with performing very fast and accurate individual techniques. Floating through a kata in one movement always looks weak.

you have used the word look twice, that makes me wonder.

[WireFrame]

Very brief pauses make the kata -snip- more structured, purposeful, and energetic -snip- when coupled with performing very fast and accurate individual techniques. Floating through a kata in one movement always -snip- creates weak presentation.

Fixed

[Wado-AJ]

Very brief pauses make the kata -snip- more structured, purposeful, and energetic -snip- when coupled with performing very fast and accurate individual techniques. Floating through a kata in one movement always -snip- creates weak presentation.

Fixed

haha ok, but my point was that kata is not about looks or form, it is about function, still you refer to a "weak presentation".

as long as you get where you are supposed to end up I guess it doesn't matter so much how you would put it in words, except for transmitting to students.

[WireFrame]

I also think the pauses provide focus. Which helps presentation and function.

[Ti]

Here's an excellent example of the TYPES of pauses that are found in Kata/Form as performed by Nao Morooka, Female Japan Karate Champion...

Nao Morooka displays with such perfection: the music of Kata, the drama of Kata, the concert of Kata, the theatrics of Kata, and the pauses found in Kata/Form. Very Solid!

She is just plain really really good.

[sensei8]

Here's an excellent example of the TYPES of pauses that are found in Kata/Form as performed by Nao Morooka, Female Japan Karate Champion...

Nao Morooka displays with such perfection: the music of Kata, the drama of Kata, the concert of Kata, the theatrics of Kata, and the pauses found in Kata/Form. Very Solid!

She is just plain really really good.

Yes she is...I would've scored her a 9.9 on that Kata. Very solid across the board!

[Ti]

Is that shitoryu?

[sensei8]

Is that shitoryu?

Yepper! She belongs to Shitoryu shito-kai.