Continuing the Dean Street Designs series featuring local martial arts clubs in the Crawley and Horsham area I visited the Horsham White Crane Academy to see and capture some images of Tai Chi and the White Crane style of Kung Fu
White Crane Kung Fu is a complete, patterns based system of self defence originating from the Fujian province in Southern China. It was created by a teenage girl approximately 400 years ago who based the movements on those of an attacking White Crane bird. The White Crane stylist uses effective footwork with fast and direct blocks, strikes and kicks to quickly and efficiently defend themselves against an attack.
Tai Chi, or Tai Chi Chuan, as it is also known, is held in the highest regard as a martial art in China. The name translates as ‘Grand Ultimate Style’. Movements are performed slowly and gracefully using a minimum of force and muscular tension. The idea is to perfect the technique, originally so that you could have defeated a much larger and stronger attacker, using their energy, aggression and momentum against them. Nowadays, when mostly people train with a focus on health and well-being, the slow movements gently strengthen and stretch out the tendons, ligaments and muscles.
I would like to thank Hamish at the Horsham White Crane Academy for his time and collaboration with this project.
