Wushu

May 28

Wushu is a contemporary Chinese martial art, but it is so much more than that.

Although I am “retired” now, Wushu is and always will be a core part of who I am. I have the cracking knees and trick ankle to prove it! I performed in everything from cultural festivals and marine balls all around southern California to massive show sagas at Anime Expo and San Diego Comic Con. I spent summers training with national professional teams in China where kids are chosen and start as young as 4 years old. Through college, I trained with the Cal Wushu team to compete in Collegiates and we, a bunch of crazy college kids, also continued the tradition of hosting the largest Chinese Martial Arts Tournament (aka CMAT) of its time. I still attend weddings of “wushu friends” where the obligatory wushu team pose stance appears among the more “proper” photos.

You may have never heard of the sport, but I assure you that you have seen it. From every Cirque du Soleil performance (most notably KA in Las Vegas) to every movie or show that requires a stunt coordinator, including Star Wars and Game of Thrones, wushu is a massive part of our entertainment industry. I still enjoy watching through the credits of every film and game project to look for friends’ names in stunt actor or motion capture credits. They work incredibly hard to keep your favorite actors safe and make all that action look great and believable!

Beyond that, it is a true community. It’s almost like a secret code or an unspoken bond. Just one of many examples:

On my way up to Oregon to start my job in a new unknown place at LAIKA, my car broke down in the middle of nowhere just south of Eugene. I sent out a status of my predicament while waiting for the tow truck to arrive and less than 30 minutes later, members of the University of Oregon Wushu Team were ready to pick me up from the repair shop, head to dinner together, and take me in for a few days while my car was getting fixed - no questions asked.

Wushu is not the kind of sport that you can perfect. You can spend years just getting to “ok.” You are always striving for the right timing, balance, speed, air, grace, and poise. If you ever come across someone who has trained for many years in wushu, know that they are extremely dedicated, passionate, and have a strong sense of movement, pizzazz, and style!