Groups We’ve Worked With

We are proud to have worked with the following groups that include schools, centers, dorms, students, staff, residents and employees. Let us know if you would like to invite us to conduct a WingChun Self-Defense workshop or demonstration for your personal or professional, community or corporate group.

It would be our pleasure to share valuable information in a dynamic, interesting and professional way. Just tell us your ideas and we’ll be happy to help plan a successful event for you. You may contact us via email at HQ@IAW-US.com or phone at 510-214-2987.

Interested? Get our FREE Newsletter.

WingChun Demo at LeConte Elementary

On June 1, Sihing Brandon Solano and I were invited to present WingChun at LeConte Elementary School in Berkeley as part of their Asian American Heritage Month. We joined the Cal Raijin Taiko Drummers and the Fei Tian Classical Chinese Dancers in presenting our art to nearly 100 kindergarten through fifth grade students, teachers and parents. Even their mascot, Coco the Panda, learned to apply a key WingChun coordination movement: a Dap Bo (Striding Step) and Tsong Kuen (Thrusting Punch) to the delight of all.

In a ten-minute performance, we were able to demonstrate a Lat Sao (Casting Arms) combination sequence, the Siu Nim Tau (Small Intention) form, applications from our Basic Level programs and the 7th Student Level Chi Sao (Adhering Arms) flow. The background of WingChun was also explained along with what the IAW offers. The children were a great audience and very enthusiastic about the action. It was fun to interact with many of them after the show. Perhaps you will see some of them as WingChun Tigers soon.

We were also happy to meet several staff members such as Secretary Donna Chan Chu and Coach Smiley. A very special thanks to Mr. Alan Wang for organizing the successful event and Principal Cheryl Wilson for hosting us at her wonderful school.

Workshop at Chinese Hospital

On April 11, Chris Bobek and I were in San Francisco to conduct a WingChun Self-Defense Workshop at the Excelsior Clinic of the Chinese Hospital system as part of their Community Wellness Program. We customized the presentation to the audience by focusing on the naturalness and aliveness of WingChun movements. Interactive exercises were used to demonstrate how our training creates strong and proper alignment in the body. Then, these powerful physical principles were examined in Self-Defense application. The participants were able to understand and perform the instructions very well. Thanks to Chelsea Mao, Program Development Manager, for inviting us and planning out the event.

Unit 3 Outreach

Our most recent outreach event was at Spens-Black Hall in the Unit 3 Dorm. On November 12, we headed over to tell and show members of this UC Berkeley student residence a bit about the WingChun system.

It’s always a pleasure to offer perspectives that our audience never considered. As a human, a primeval concern is being alive. Self-Defense emerges from this undeniable premise. For most, life is generally safe and fine, but unexpected emergencies can and do happen anytime and anywhere to anyone. We examine and answer this question. How to survive and thrive in a life or death context?

Each time we go out into the community, it is a unique interaction. Although we present similar material, the approach varies. Depending on how the evening unfolds, we either spend more time to clarify crucial concepts or emphasize key movements. Because each listener hears and every observer sees in an individual way, our explanations, analogies, illustrations, and demonstrations are customized. The goal is effective communication. On this point, it seems we have been very successful with our experiences this semester. No one leaves without learning something, knowing better, feeling safer. On our feedback forms, the comments are positive. Sentiments like “Inspiring and useful ideas”, “An unexpectedly fun event”, and “Would love to learn more” are commonly represented.

We look forward to sharing with other groups that will invite us. Once again, Sihing Brandon Solano was my main assistant. We were happily joined by another helpful HQ member, Tyler Gouvea. Our friendly contact and able coordinator was Christina Gee, Unit 3 Health Worker. Thanks to all for your meaningful support.

Stern Hall Outreach

SternHallOutreach

We had the pleasure of being invited to conduct a WingChun Self-Defense presentation at Stern Hall in Berkeley. The ongoing purpose of these community outreach programs is to spread the specific benefits of WingChun as a strategic Self-Defense system. No participant ever leaves without feeling smarter and safer regarding the ability to avoid and resolve emergency situations. That is our goal in addition to conveying the peripheral, if not essential, results of training WingChun, such as better coordination, faster reflexes, and stronger concentration. Thanks to Naomi Cheng, Stern Hall Resident Assistant, for planning this event, the enthusiatic attendees for being a great audience, and Norm Waleedej, Brandon Solano, and Michael Murphy, newly graduated Assistant and Instructor Degrees, for capably and amicably representing the IAW-US.