Customer Reviews

International Taiji Sword Festival 2002

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This DVD was the beginning of a whole new experience for me. Previous enjoyment of swordsmanship led me to explore the style portrayed on this and another of Scott Rodell's DVDs (Yang Family Michuan Taiji Sword Martial Applications). What I found on the DVD was a portrayal of Chinese swordsmanship that led me to put aside other styles to pursue this one alone, and the whole martial arts system backing it up.

Scott Rodell comes across as a dedicated and highly informed martial arts teacher who is genuinely interested in preserving an art. His care for the people who study under him is reflected in the dedication and joy of students interviewed on the DVD.

The Sword Festival DVD opens with a skillful performance of Yang Family Michuan Taiji Jian Form. I have used this on a daily basis as a tool to learn this form. Together with Scott Rodell's book "Chinese Swordsmanship - the Yang Family Tradition", it was the foundation for my memorisation of the form and worth having the DVD for that part alone.

There are also other useful forms on the DVD, such as one for Miao Dao and a Taiji Spear Form. As the interviews proceed, students are training in the background. I found this so irrisistable it encouraged me to organise a similar Sword Camp for my own country. I hope others find this DVD as pleasantly life changing as I have.

While this DVD is not an instructional video it gives a good taste what an intensive week long trainig entails and all the components of traditonal Chinese Swordsmanship. The video opens with the back and side views of the Yang Family Michuan Taiji Jian form; this will undoubted be useful to those learning this form with a teacher of the system.

I should say I was at this Festival & learned an amazing amount there.

While this video was not created as a instructional video, I think it provides a good view of what training in traditional swordsmanship is like. It also provides the insider view of the training thru interviews with students from Russia, France, USA, & Estonia who were there. Every people I showed this DVD to who were not there enjoyed seeing it. I loaned mine to many.

Anyone interested in Historical Chinese Swordsmanship & its methods of training, should find this DVD interesting. Those studying the Yang Family Michuan Taiji Jian system will find this DVD of particular value because it is the only video available that presents a demonstration of this rare form (shown in back & side views simultaneously so its easy to follow along). This form is demonstrated by Scott M. Rodell, author of "Chinese Swordsmanship - The Yang Family Taiji Jian Traditon". The DVD also includes many other form demonstrations including the two handed Chinese saber, the Miao Dao. See www.grtc.org for more on the Festival.

Yes , the disk begins with an interesting sword form. After that, it is little more than a commercial for Mr Zimmer's organization.
Lots of talking from Zimmer and scenes of people doing the form taught at the camp. No real attempt to provide any content beyond the sword form shown at the beginnig. Look elsewhere unless you are interested in the one particular form shown. John Gouldener

This DVD is not only for experts and for those intensely studying chinese martial arts, but is fascinating to all who appreciate athletic rythym and grace. The demonstrators, which include Scott Rodell himself, make it clear that one can use these techniques for fun or for fighting or for fitness. Athletes of all stripes, or simply those who enjoy athletic activity, can profit from this DVD.

for those who are using Mr. Rodell's book, CHINESE SWORDSMANSHIP: THE YANG FAMILY TAIJI JIAN TRADITION. Although the book has excellently-illustrated with clear step-by-step descriptions of each move, there's nothing like being able to see the form executed in motion before your very eyes. An added bonus is the "miaodao" form for two-handed saber. This is a technique which is not familiar to many practitioners of Chinese martial arts, and is based on a fencing methodology with a history of over a millenium in China.