Hindi Kungfu Film - Chandni Chowk To China

Watched my first Hindi film of 2009 last night and it was surprisingly good. If you've ever wondered what a successful fusion of classic Chinese Kungfu flick + Hindi Bollywood song and dance would look like, this is it.

The martial arts scenes were adequately done with Kungfu Hustle-type CGI. Don't go in expecting Ip Man-ish fight sequences of course. Instead, be delighted by a familiar, albeit cliche comedy of a loser-turned hero, who's help is enlisted to fight off the baddie, save the village and win the girl of his dreams. You'd be smiling at the familiar comedic kungfu training scenes where the protagonist endures some tough-love training in a bamboo forest setting, dished out by the Master as he undergoes his zero-to-hero transformation.

Loved the song and dance bollywood-style sequences. Yes its silly to most of us not used to such films but the mesmerizing female lead makes it quite fun and lovely to watch. The director must be a Chinese movie buff, you will be able to spot the clever references to popular Chinese movies like Curse of the Golden Flower, the Banquet, Kungfu Hustle, etc.

Watch the trailer and see fer urselves!

New Post. New Year. New Beginnings.

1st post of 2009.

New year's resolution for the KUEN Blog:
- Sleep less. Write more.

If your paymaster's MOE, it should read:
"Teach less. Mark lesser". Yeah right, dream on.

Since we're on the topic of teachers, what the heck. Some suggestions for your new year's resolution. (feel free to contribute in whatever crazy way. Nobody follows thru with new yr's resolutions anyway. blah.)

Resolutions for 2009
- "Release the rocker punk dude/chick within and join a Rock Band!"
Action plan: Put on your best Goth makeup and start practicing your Guitar Hero.

- "Go take that lap/belly/exotic dance course you always wanted but never had time for."
Action plan: Call up dance schools. Enrol. Start lessons. Video yourself. Upload to youtube and send me link. Promise I'll give positive feedback. But if you're a guy, stay away. Serious.

- "Get your face on Hardwarezone/Digital Life during I.T. Show."
Action plan: Put on a silly french maid costume or Gundam Suit and join a Cosplay club

- "Get your erm...assets on The New Paper/Stomp."
Action plan: Put on a tiny bikini and take photos to put on your blog but be smart - mosaic the face.

- "Take control of your life. Give it a new direction."
Action plan: Quit sucky job. Get another. Start painting/singing/dancing/wushu-ing. Busker @ Orchard Road. Sell fries at Mc's. Mop up kiddy puke from floor. Rejoin MOE workforce. Give a sigh of relief. Repeat to self - "I love my deadend job."

- "Pick up a ridiculously difficult sport thats bad for your aching joints."
Action plan: *Hint* W.U.S.H.U.
Who cares if your students are better at Xuan Feng Jiao. You can give them more homework. REVENGE! Muhahaha...

For your kind consideration, I bid you Adieu...

End of camp, end of year.

*Update: Camp photos


Good friends!


Crazy pose everyone!


"I miss my bolster...sniff sniff."


Homeward bound at last.

Just sent off the kids from this batch of December training camp. Had a really fun session of "blind cat" just before they left. If you've never played blind cat in a tiny room full of office furniture and 15 ppl, you've never played that game I tell ya. Imagine the children climbing on top of cabinets, hiding under tables, behind poster frames, clambering on top of each other, trying to sneak their way past the "blind cat" when cornered. LOL.

The trainers were too focused on training to take photos. I ended up with a couple of candid shots taken on the last day. Will post them up when I get them out of the camera.

Usually the December camp and Central Grading will signal the end of the year, but this year, we've postponed the Central Grading till early next year, just slightly before the Graduation Performance that everyone at KUEN Wushu will be involved in. Next week is the company staff retreat and this year all the trainers are going on an all-expense paid trip to....... LAS VEGAS! ahem... cough...swallow...cough again. I meant to say Las Vegas of Malaysia - Genting Highlands lah.

*Cheh...*

Oh well, stop complaining. Technically, its still an "overseas trip" ya know. And we'll even be flying instead of the 6 hour coach ride, albeit on budget flights but its a plane nonetheless.

*indignant* Hmmppffft!

Promise I'll take pictures. *fingers crossed* Heh.

Photos from Beijing

Here are some photos of our Kuen students and trainers in Beijing, shichahai. Heard its really cold over there now... but where's the snow?

Extreme Makeover - Liu Juan laoshi

We did a show last night at the new Bellini Grande at Clarke Quay. It was the launch of the Singapore Service Star - an accreditation scheme by the Singapore Tourism Board. Liu Juan laoshi had to fly into the stage and perform a few mid-air poses, with the help of stunt wires of course (courtesy of our Stunt Master - Yanbin)

Before

After


In the locker room with Yanbin, stunt master for the wire flying sequences.

Wait a minute... She reminds me of someone in this makeup. Doesn't she look like Helena Bonham Carter in Sweeney Todd?!? She does right! Muhahaha...

Certificate Presentation at Fuhua Secondary

Went to Fuhua Secondary today for their certificate presentation ceremony. The boys completed the modular programme and was presented with certificates by Fuhua Sec's Principal.

From KUEN Wushu Official Blog

I reached just in time to watch a performance of Fuhua Sec's dance entree for next year's SYF, with some elements of Wushu injected for the boys' parts. The dance teacher and I worked in a few moves the boys picked up from the Wushu course to try to create something unique for Fuhua Sec. The teacher's hopeful it'll be enough to impress the judges. I felt the boys needed more Wushu training to polish up their techniques as they paled in comparison with the girls in the group. Other than that, I felt the choreography was good. A pity I had not whipped out the camera to film some vids of the performance.

From KUEN Wushu Official Blog

Enrichment workshop at Eduplus language camp

Went with Trainer Yanbin to Toa Payoh SAFRA this morning to conduct an enrichment workshop for the children at Eduplus Language Centre. Take a look at the photos.

Sports Council SEP Showcase 2009

SSC-SEP Showcase - 3rd year running. Special guest, the Dean came by for moral support!

Did I mention we've been with the SSC-Sports Education Programme since its pilot phase in 2006, delivering high quality Wushu programmes to schools to rave reviews and positive feedback?
*shameless plug 1*
Hmm...I did? Oh well... doesn't hurt to reiterate. LOL.
Who knows, I might get new readers every now and then and in case they have not read my past posts(GO DO IT NOW!), this would be a good chance to let them know that we are the No. 1 Sports Wushu Programme Provider! WOOHOO!!!
*shameless plug 2*

I can almost hear my competitors scream "Says who?!?"
Why me of course. : )

I think I hear my horn blowing... :p *honk honk*

Rivervale Primary Modular Certificate Presentation

Take a look at these photos of the first batch of Rivervale Primary students during their certificate presentation ceremony.

Congratulations to all students! Keep up the good work.


Guest-of-honour, Mr Picasso Tan, Dean of Kuen Wushu Academy.


Group photo of students with Kuen Trainers.


Students listening intently to the Dean's motivational speech.

After this introductory module, some of them will be moving on to Wushu Apparatus Training in Staff and Sword. I bet they can't wait!

More Rivervale News:
I was at Rivervale's 10th Anniversary Celebrations Dinner. It was a superbly well-planned event with amazing performances from the dance items. The Wushu students participated too with a short Wushu performance in the collaborative school play. I thought they did great. From the applause and the looks on the teachers and audience's faces, I think they think so too!

Credit goes to Zhipeng Laoshi and Liu Juan Laoshi for their choreography and training. Both trainers have extensive experience in choreographing for stage performances and some of their works so far have been quite impressive.

Good job trainers!

Photos and Videos of MTM-KUEN Exchange

These are the few photos from my digicam that aren't blurry or off focus. Seriously, I need more... Those who have any more photos, pls mail me or send me the link.