Musical Forms Rear Their Ugly Heads Again

[Cthulhu]

I wish (maybe not) I still had the link, but I recently found a site for a martial arts school (forget the style), where a requirement for black belt was two or three original musical forms. Gag.

I think this same school required the student to attend a mess of 'special' classes and workout session, I'm sure all at the expense of the student. There were also mandatory performances for the rest of the students, mandatory breaking tests, and a whole slew of other things that, to me, equaled $$$ for the school.

After seeing that site, I felt dirty. If I ever required all of that foolishness for a student to earn his/her black belt, I hope my instructor does the world a favor and snaps my spine.

Cthulhu

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Theres this guy..."Mr. Methane".....he does a "musical form".... oh wait,,,,thats not quite what you meant...but....they are both "hot air".

I'm sorry, but if my ability to do a half-assed "kata-wanna-be" to music along with how many bits o pine I can smash is the deciding factor in my getting a black belt, I think I'll just go buy one from my wholesaler n run my cert off on my inkjet printer.

I mean....its the same worth either way.

sheesh.

Try a long hot shower...helps after seeing these things.

 

[deadhand31]

I've seen musical forms done in two tournaments. In one tournament, the forms were designed to look like the moves had an actual application (considering this was the midwest karate championship, i would hope so). I enjoyed watching them very much. The other tournament I attended, I was rather dissappointed. The competitors seemed to be dancing in their forms, responding more to the music instead of having the music as a background element. Some of the flips I saw did have a great amount of skill, but I was put off at the showiness of it. Personally, I cannot see how these can be made as a requirement for black belt. I would rather earn it through application of the moves I know through true application of my techniques. But hey, if anybody wants to do anything else, it's their call.

 

[Rob_Broad]

Musical forms do have their place. Usually to picque an interest to the uninitiated. But as a requirement for black belt, that is absurd. What do they have for 2nd Degree Levitate, 3rd Degree Walk on Water. This instructor looks like someone who is just teaching sport karate, and is looking to get more infromation for his program.

Is there a picture of the school and does it have a set of golden arches above it, or maybe the WMAC Masters logo somewhere in it.

 

[Bob]

I would like to bring up the issue of the fancy yuppie Gi's some wear to enhance their musical forms. A Gi, costs enough without having to have one custom made with some outragous design especially in the case of the kids who will out grow them a month or two down the road.

Bob

 

[vincefuess]

I got my butt reamed out by the mother bear of one these little dojo dancers one time. I was judging forms at a local tournament and this kid looked like a sawed-off Elvis impersonator (all the parents thought he was SO CUTE). He was pretty good at cartwheels and splits and stuff, but I saw no karate anywhere in his form. The other three judges gave him like 8's and 9's- I think I gave him a 5. Mama bear came after me! I told her to bring him back when he learned some martial arts, and suggested maybe the "Arthur Murray Dance Academy" was a better place for him. She complained to the officials and they stood by me. She and her little darling stomped out the arena without even picking up his 2nd or 3rd place trophy. Great martial arts lessons being cultivated there!

The tourneys around here are just POLLUTED with this crap. The only thing more disdainful for me than an overly cute kid is the mother who sucks his little butt. PPPFFFTT PPSFSTTT!! It all leaves a bad taste in my mouth just thinking about it!

 

[tshadowchaser]

I remember the first form I ever saw done to music, and it was beautiful,because it was not made for compitition but one ofthe normal forms of the system put to music.It stirred my imagination and I enjoyed the change from the norm. This was done as a demo not as compatition. This was also some 25-30 years ago.
From that time on I have only seen maybe 4 forms done to music that didn't make me gag. Most of the stuff done out there should be flushed. I think I also ran into the Mama Bear Vincefuess was talking about. Some of these parents mistake cute and showing for martial arts.
Personaly I think many of the instructors should be taken into the back rom and have someone "explain" what martial arts and the forms in them are.
For anyone interested the first form was a PaiLum form and I saw it at Master Pai's tournament in Hartford.
shadow

 

[Rob_Broad]

When doing a muscial form the music should compliment the form, not have the music dictate a dance routine. A good form can only be enhanced by the proper music. Too many little brats think that some Rap crap music and bouncing around with no rhyme nor reason makes a great form, whose fault is this. The instructor and the parents of the child are to blame for this. It is our job to educate them, and for the moma bears use a tranquilizer gun.

 

[Cthulhu]

I've been toying with going to the U.S. Open in Orlando, FL for a few years. However, I think many of the musical forms contests they show on ESPN2 are actually from the U.S. Open, which is making me seriously reconsider going to that event.

On another note, at the recent FCS Family Gathering, we were told that FCS Founder Ray Dionaldo would be giving a seminar/demo at the next U.S. Open. Apparently, seminars have always been done by people involved with the event or somehow otherwise connected to the these people, so this is a fairly significant thing.

Cthulhu

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I was driving home from class a while back and had the brain-storm that certain themes would lend themselves well to certain forms.

Duel of the Fates (Star Wars)- a sword form that has some fast, hard moments, and some soft moments... perhaps a strange blending of Tai Chi sword and Iaido?

Gladiator Waltz (Gladiator) - a single stick form perhaps? Or, 1 2 person form.


Sorry...tangent over.

 

[TLH3rdDan]

musical forms a requirement for a black belt???? hummmm thats funny... didnt check the site out but did anyonenotice if they have van dam as their instructor or maybe patrick swayze

 

[Klondike93]

I use to like musical forms, then I began to notice that as more and more tricks are thrown in it looks like a gymnastic floor routine. They now work each corner of the ring just like Kurt Thomas use to do, they insert a balance section and so on and so forth. There are a few however that get it right and in my oppinion the best is a guy named Jon Valera. This guy is an awsome kicker, jump kicker and is he fast.
But make it a requirement? Takes all the fun out of it then.

:asian:

 

[Shinzu]

i've never really paid much attention to muscial forms but i'm sure some are well put together.

im not one to perform them though. most of them do look lke gymnastic tricks rather than martial art based.

i'll stick to the traditional ones that have sprit and meaning to my art.