By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Members from the New England Championship Wushu Academy (NECWA) came together to put on a performance at the Needham Free Public Library (NFPL). Crowds packed the library to enjoy this special production, all in awe of these kids’ talent and dedication to the sport.
Wushu consists of two main components of practice: Taolu and Sanda. Taolu combines choreographed routines with stances, kicks, weapon skills, and tumbling, while Sanda is a combination of kickboxing with grappling techniques. Wushu practitioners may prefer one component over the other, but they both are an excellent way to improve general fitness, strength, flexibility, athleticism, and coordination.
Each child in the performance held some sort of weapon, whether that be a fake sword or staff. Their movements were finely practiced in which they could perform at great speeds. Those within this production ranged anywhere from elementary to high school age.
In attendance at this performance was Dennis Zhang, a member of the Chinese Friends of Needham group. He went on to state that they are proudly partnered with the NECWA and love to watch these kids show off their great knowledge and understanding of the Wushu art form.
After their performance was over, they invited those little ones in the audience to get a quick lesson in Wushu. This lesson consisted of the basic knowledge of Wushu, not including any weapons or other harder moves in order to keep everyone safe. Those who wanted to participate learned how to do certain leg kicks and arm movements, all while their guardians snapped pictures of this lesson.
As the performance concluded, the inclusive spirit continued with an invitation for young spectators to engage in a basic Wushu lesson, emphasizing safety and providing a hands-on experience that left both participants and their guardians captivated and inspired.
For more information about events such as this, please visit: https://needhamlibrary.org/events/.
