Zhang Lingmei, a former wushu champion and current instructor, held a Wushu Open House this afternoon in San Francisco. A number of our friends were performing, including Jen, Felicia, Steven, and Ben. Rae and I were fortunate to snag some front-row seats; I thought they’d be all taken since it was so hard to find parking around 19th and 20th Avenues.
Sitting behind us were Tami and Mark. Tami mentioned to me, “Hey, I saw you guys in the Chronicle today!” Surprised, I replied, “Uh… what do you mean?” She explained how we were prominently displayed in a photo from the Edwardian Ball last week. Aha! That explains the photographer (Christina Koci Hernandez) with the Mark II — all the Chronicle staff use them. I remember turning my head slightly to the left when she took that photo; after all, I didn’t want to look like a deer in headlights when her flash fired!
Watching the performers fly and spin through the air, I wonder if I’ll ever get back into Tai-Chi. I was much more hardcore back in college when I was taking classes from Sifu John Chuck with friends like Cyrus, Jochen, Mark, and Alison. I remember being so pumped coming back from the Beijing Wushu Team demo at Cal in 1995 (Rae was there too, but obviously we didn’t know each other then). Though I still use my moves on the dance floor, I haven’t really practiced since I graduated. Cycling is my thing now, except in winter when I’m more like Jabba than Lance! At any rate, we’ll see what happens; first I need to get more flexible! Gotta treat stretching like brushing my teeth or annotating my images — make it a habit!
Now for some photos from the event!
tow.com 
thanks for the pics, adam. as always, you are able to make me look far better in photograph than i look in real life. your product is always amazing. i’ve forwarded this link to a few (like sixty or so) people. i hope that’s ok. :) thanks for coming and i hope you and rae had a good time.
(on a side note -i still can’t believe that am and i are in part responsible for the two of you meeting – just thinking about it brings a smile to my face!)
Great article. excellent photos.
Elias.
Nice pic of Rae & the back of your head in last sunday’s examiner!
Aw I miss wushu. I trained there with Zhang Lingmei for a few months back in 2000-2001 when I lived close enough to commute and had an income to pay for it. Know of any really cheap wushu clubs near Foster City? I trained a short time with Bruce Fontaine back in Vancouver too. Sucks being poor.
Adam, I know you are a wushu fan and I have some information on a wushu master for you and Rae. See below:
The Martial Arts Club of CSUS is having a special guest performer, Master Li Qiang, flown over from China to perform with us in a special martial arts demonstration. She is a member of the world-renown Beijing Wushu Team,
the best in the world at what they do. Jet Li was a member of this team, which the Chinese government sent to perform at the White House. Wushu will remiere as a demonstration sport in the 2008 Olympics.
This will be Master Li Qiang’s first appearance in Sacramento. Please get the word out for people to come and support this event.
Event Date: Feb. 17, 2005
Event Time: 12 Noon
Location: CSU Sacramento, University Union, Redwood Room
Admission: FREE (sponsored by the Martial Arts Club of CSUS and CSUS Associated Students, Inc.)
hi
i’m a wushu fan and hope to be a real player in wushu but there is no wushu Masters in Syria
any body can send any advice
to this E-mail :basemrockevan@yahoo.com
Hi there,
I studied wushu w/ Sifu Zhang a few years ago– is she still teaching in the bay area? If so I would really like to get in touch with her, I have been unable to reach her at the phone number I have. Thanks!
Im syrian wushu caoch