check out this clip...

[mtabone]

Hello everyone!

Last Saturday I was asked to go to this seminar that was going to take place at a local martial arts studio/wellness center. The person who invited me told me there was going to be some white crane kung fu or something of that nature and a sword demo…well, I could not pass up seeing a sword demo (for what ever odd reason I still don’t know why) so I decided to go. Well, I showed up two hours early, because I was originally told the wrong time. So I happen to look in the window to see the correct time, and a web site to check out what this thing is all about. I went to a friend’s house near by to use their internet to see what was up… Turns out it is not some type of kung fu but yoga, and the guy created it after spending some time in Japan learning Shotokan karate, and learning kung fu from somewhere, and then learning yoga from somewhere, and he basically blends a lot of it together. Well I noticed on the page is a link to a video of him doing what he calls a “Sword Dance” so I decided to click on it…
I promptly got in my car and went home. I could not believe what I had seen, and I am glad I did not go to this seminar, because, I would have left very upset, and lost some money….

Here is the web site: www.artofzenyoga.com
If you go down the page you will see a link for:
Zen Yoga Videos
AlsoZEN SWORD DANCE VIDEO
Please click the link and tell me what you think…
Thanks.
Yours in the arts,
Michael Tabone

 

[Ninjamom]

OK, that's scary.

Here's another 'sword dance' from the same guy.

 

[Ninjamom]

Wow! Just watched one more, longer video clip from the same guy. No doubt the guy is a skilled dancer and a good entertainer, but his form has absolutely nothing to do with the actual use of a sword. Good balance, good choreography, nice stage performance, but I'd bet even money he's using either a stage or light practice sword that doesn't weigh any more than 400 g (less than a pound).

I doubt he's had any training with any sword art. If you still have doubts about that, skip to the very end of this 'long form' video and notice the way he puts his sword back into the scabbard.

 

[Saitama Steve]

That is not swordsmanship in any way, shape, or form.

 

[pgsmith]

It made me think of the lazy man's XMA.

 

[wade]

Oh my...........................:barf:

 

[East Winds]

Dance, with no sword skills whatever. All that was missing was the beads and tie dyed pants!!!

Very best wishes

 

[Ojiisan]

He should have been using a ribbon or his magic wand....

 

[crushing]

He should have been using a ribbon or his magic wand....

Like this!

 

[dragonswordkata]

Well, it is a new art, right?. And it did take a great deal of courage to act his part in front of an audience. I would have left the demo too, fortunetly I was able to fast forward on youtube to the end and skip 3.5 minutes.

 

[Fuzzy Foot]

It's easy to criticize, but this is just asking for it. Yes it was billed correctly dancing with a sword as a prop.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Here is his website : http://www.artofzenyoga.com/

I do not think he is billing anything as a martial way so
it is for relaxation, stress reduction, flexibility, mind body connection, etc.

I do not really like the zen yoga name but I understand why he is using it for marketing.

 

[Tames D]

Hehehe

 

[Don Roley]

I am hardly known as a guy who looks the other way when idiots try to pass themselves off as sword masters, but I have no problem with this.

I see this as entertainment. If he had not put the words "dance" in the title, I might see things differently. As it is, I look at this in the same way I would the light saber duels in Star Wars. Not realistic, but it gives people some pleasure and does not try to pass itself off as a combat art.

But I could do better......

 

[mtabone]

Thanks for your responses...

I know this guy has DANCE all over the place, but why not just use a different type of sword? or some other weapon?

Thanks alot!

Talk with you all later...

Yours in the arts

MTabone