Green Dragon Studios, Stowe, Ohio

[Flying Crane]

Has anybody had any experience with this school? Their head instructors name, I believe, is John Allen.

They have an extensive list of material that they make available on video instruction. The last I saw, they claimed to have some 300 or 400, maybe more, separate forms that they teach (not all on video), much of which was the claimed was rare and they are the only ones in the West who have it.

I've seen some of their tapes, even played with a few things from them, but was wondering if anyone has any hands-on experience with them?

I saw one tape, it was a form from "White Crane". It was nothing like the Tibetan White Crane that I now study, and it had no resemblance to the video footage I have seen of Fukien White Crane. Makes me wonder where their material comes from...

They claimed to be one of the few sources of "legitimate and authentic" Chinese martial arts in the West.

If anyone has had any experience with them, I'd be curious to know your thoughts. thx.

 

[stickarts]

I have quite a few of their tapes and I have enjoyed working many of their exercise sets and two person drills. It has been a good source to add new and interesting drills to my classes.
Many of the students on the tape look good at what they do although I am sorry that i don't know much more than that. I am not qualified to judge authenticity.

 

[Mei Hua]

Many of their forms come from my system, Honan Bei Shaolin Meihuazhuang.
Sifu Allen was a good friend of our later Grandmaster Seung Hwa Cheung, who allowed him to tape some of our forms.

If that White Crane form you were looking at had a woman with brown hair performing it, it was White Crane of Wu Mei.

 

[Flying Crane]

Many of their forms come from my system, Honan Bei Shaolin Meihuazhuang.
Sifu Allen was a good friend of our later Grandmaster Seung Hwa Cheung, who allowed him to tape some of our forms.

If that White Crane form you were looking at had a woman with brown hair performing it, it was White Crane of Wu Mei.

Ah, thank you. I believe you are correct about the White Crane video. I think it was called "Little Crane Fist", or something like that.

What is White Crane of Wu Mei? I am not familiar with that. Is that part of your Meihuazhuang, or something separate? Thx for the info!

 

[Mei Hua]

Yes, the Wu Mei branch is a style particular to our branch of Meihuazhuang/Shaolin

 

[Flying Crane]

Yes, the Wu Mei branch is a style particular to our branch of Meihuazhuang/Shaolin

Could you describe the Meihuazhuang system? What is its history and what are its stylistic characteristics? thanks again.

 

[Mei Hua]

Here's a great resource for info.

 

[Flying Crane]

Here's a great resource for info.

thank you, i'll have to spend some time poking around in there.