Boards, sticks and knives flew across Pruis Hall's stage duringthe Asian-American Student Association's Martial Arts DemonstrationSunday night.
In celebration of Asian-Awareness Month, the demonstrationfeatured two Ball State and four local martial arts groups whoperformed weapon art and board breaking as well as several othermartial art styles including karate and kickboxing.
Members of Ball State's Martial Arts Club and Judo Clubperformed taichi, aikido, and ninjitsu kata -- a series oftechniques and moves put together. Rod Beason and Gary Noble of theJudo Club, which was started this year, performed a kata routine ofplanned-out throws, where Beason flipped Noble to the ground 18times.
Taekwando blackbelt youths named Peter and Paul also entertainedthe audience with Korean-style tae kwon do, while two youths fromthe Jackson Tae Kwon Do Club performed the American style of theexercise.
With neon lights flashing and smoke filling the auditorium, theUSA Karate Academy also featured weapon art by the Special WinningAttitude Team, or the SWAT team. The team performed a mixture offighting and self-defense tactics using three weapons: A six-footpole called a bow, a simple planting tool called a sai, and a kama-- a cutting instrument with a razor eight to 10 inches long.
Members of the SWAT team also broke several boards and brickpiles with their bare fists.
Sophomore Tuyen Huynh said he enjoyed the demonstration,especially with the complementary music.
"It was awesome because the fighting scenes were put togetherwell," Huynh said. "The SWAT team had dancing mixed with martialarts. I enjoyed it."
Host Terry Frazier said the martial arts exercises were not onlyuseful in self-defense but also as a way of life.
Like Frazier, AASA President Mike Nu Zhang said the exercisesbenefited the mind, body and soul.
"Students learned the health benefits of learning martial arts,"he said.
Zhang said AASA may do the demonstration again in the future, asit encourages the appreciation of Asian cultures.
"The students (saw) first-hand the beauty of this ancientcombative art," Zhang said.
AASA treasurer Malynne Simeon said she's glad the demonstrationproved successful.
"We had a good turnout and the performers were good," Simeonsaid. "And the kids were cute too."
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