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| CANADA'S SOURCE FOR CHINESE DANCE HUMOUR, PARODY, AND SATIRE
SAN FRANCISCO-- Once feared to be in decline in North America, Gen Fui, or Chinese group dancing, is making a comeback with traditionalists and younger members of the community. The 3,000 year-old art form is quickly gaining popularity with Asian Americans, many who had never seen it performed before.
"Americans will only dance with one partner at a time, which limits the enjoyment of dancing," said Cheyenne Shung, a Gen Fui enthusiast. "This ancient form of slow dancing allows for up to five dance partners at once. It is a strong bonding experience, that harmonizes the souls, while teaching respect and humility." "If you step on toes in this dance, everyone will suffer," she continued. "It is very important to have strong balance and an evenness of step." Gen Fui isn't just about respect for your dance partners, though. Practitioners believe that properly performed it will enhance virility, health and even encourage wealth to show up in unexpected places. "There are stories of the first Gen Fui dancers over three thousand years ago," said Xuan Fei, a Gen Fui teacher for over 30 years. "Having mastered the Tao of the dance they became immortal. Is it possible? Who can say?" The Gen Fui dance involves a coordination of several individuals through 106 separate moves. Each move has a name and moves fluidly into the next. Dancers must have harmony with the dance surface, and apply good timing and direction. "If we just take one move of this dance, say the Discrete Wealth Toad," said Xuan Fei. "When done properly, with correct attention paid to the alignment of the compass and the paths that the spirits will take, wealth has a better chance of finding you. It's true. Once after an uplifting performance I found a quarter on my way home. That proves it works." Other moves like Green Dragon, Wish-Fulfilling Cow or Carry Crouching Tigers To River encourage fertility, health and proper posture. "Americans do have a crude group dance, the Conga Line," said Tim Sturgess, a recent convert. "But it's very erratic. It's usually started by some drunk and people are forced to join in. There's no skill or grace to it, you just have to stumble through a gauntlet of mayhem and chaos before it collapses of its own weight. This is different. With Gen Fui I feel like I am part of the cosmos. I am not alone, like I am when I dance at the clubs--even if I find someone to dance with. Here you're in constant contact with others who are also moving with the Earth. It's a togetherness thing. I can feel things changing inside my body." Before a dance can begin a reading is taken of the dance floor with a compass. This determines the initial stance of the dancers who as they dance will rotate through the room, inviting wealth, harmony and incidental happiness to themselves and to all who come in contact with them. Gen Fui
is based upon a set of theories and complex calculations derived from
the Yi Ching. This includes an in-depth understanding and application
of the theories of Yin and Yang, along with the balancing of the Five
Elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood) and taking into account
the physical relationship between the natural environment and the magnetic
field.
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