White Crane Sword belongs to the Chun Yuen Family of skills and represents one of the most exquisite and intricate sword forms that has been passed down from our Sijo, Wang Ping.
This weekend was the last White Crane sword seminar for 2024, leaving lots of time to practice before we begin learning the second half of the form in February 2025, and was an opportunity to watch Sifu demonstrate the form and ask questions.
It’s important to at least know and understand the basic shape and movements of the first half of the form before moving on to the second half, otherwise there’s very little benefit from learning more if you can’t remember the first half. So this seminar focused on ensuring everybody had grasped the basics and could confidently run through the form, even if the tassel still occasionally gets a bit tangled up. Using the Zoom breakout rooms we practised diligently and with the help of the group leaders continued to hone our timing of the tassel and sword movements. This is especially important if we want the tassel to spin, rotate and flow in one continuous movement.
Finally, those that didn’t get the opportunity to test their form last time were given time to show Sifu that everybody has now reached a good level of skill and understanding of the interactions between the sword, the tassel and the waist, which culminate in the graceful and flowing movements of White Crane Sword.
by Rick Charles
Student Comments
It has been helpful doing these polishing seminars before moving on – it seems quite long already!
I am looking forward to continuing the form next year – more challenges to come!
Thank you, Sigong.
Paul Hogg
It was great to review the form again and reinforce those more complicated parts. I have certainly benefitted from the revision and the clear demonstrations of each part. Looking forward to the next part in the new year!
Mike
It’s always good to check the marker with yourself and see what bits need work, and I found out some more parts more than others with brilliant insight from Sigong and the group leaders they are able to see where you are stuck and smooth the path for you. Thank you, Sigong and the leaders, for your help, as for practice, practice, and oh, practice, earl
I think we were all OK with parts 1 and 2, but people definitely seemed keen to keep polishing the parts after that. Thanks for polishing us all Sigong and looking forward to carrying on next year!
Lee B
Enjoyed polishing White Crane Sword again- good to get this first section more
familiar as there are so many details! Thanks, Sigong! -Kay
I am glad that I now have an understanding of the part of the form we have done until now. White Crane Sword is very beautiful and quite difficult but the energy is more clear now and this helps me remember the form better as it flows very well together when done right. Seeing it and understanding directions and the subtleties of the tassel movement is also very useful. Thank you Sifu, looking forward to the next part in the new year!
-Radu
It was good to pause the learning in the White Crane form and consolidate what we have learnt so far. Nice to see the proper flow demonstrated and feel the power of the tassel. Thank you Sigong. Christine