A.C.VORIOS AETOS/NEW SCHOOL OPENING

New Eagle Claw school opening seremony/A.C.Vorios Aetos!!

On January the 22nd, at 5.30, at Holargos, 269, Mesogeion Av., there was an appointment for the school opening, the cutting of the pie (vassilopita), kung fu and warm greetings. It had the character of a celebration.
So, the route of George Divanis as a trainer of his own school, Athletic Club North Eagle, officially starts: A route, towards George’s effort to teach the techniques and the principles of Kung Fu to the young and the oldest adherents of a different lifestyle – to train one’s body, keeping in mind that body and mind must work together.
He has been a student of Shifu Dimitris Doukas at the Chinese martial arts, since 1996.
Through the practice of kung fu, one is not exhausted, but builds the foundations of a certain body intelligence. One aids the body to be healthy, at the very opposite of the trend of “healthy” living and the search of less chemical food. One also gains the skill of self defense, even though everybody hopes not to need it. With the use of a new logic, that helps to set free a more grounded force, relaxed and solid at the same time. Lastly, one builds relationships with other people. Through the training, it becomes obvious that some of the things each one consider to be his/her own, are things we all have in common. This is sometimes called insecurity, anxiety, wishes that lose their target, weakness, and other times it is called “training” for something that seems real.

Students (beginners and advanced) of Athletic Club Kerameikos, with their trainer assistant Ioanna Toumpakari, and of Athletic Club Eagle, Galatsi, with their trainer Christos Papachristou, in cooperation with the trainer of Athletic Club North Eagle, George Divanis, made a demonstration that presented parts and perspectives of Kung Fu training - Lily Lau shaolin Eagle Claw Kung Fu and Nei Jia Quan by Master Niu Sheng Xian.
The presentation had three units:
In the beginning, basic kicks and combinations, acrobatics and Ji ben gong from shuai jiao (Chinese wrestling). Kicks that have an obvious role when they are technically complete and find their target. Acrobatics that contribute to the suppleness and the flexibility of the body and to the smarter contact with the ground. Ji ben qong (brief routines) shuai jiao that prepare for the ability to overthrow the opponent, destroying his/her balance.
After that, there were two groups of shuai jiao and their applications and lin kune (“Eagle boxing”  techniques) and Sanshou applications.
Shuau jiao is the Chinese wrestling: martial art and techniques, exactly as the word describes. Throwing the opponent, keeping the centre stable, closed but flexible and flowing moves.
Lin kune: units and ideas about how to enter the centre of the opponent, how to feel, how to attack and defend at the same time, how – when the hands stick – everything must be turned to something on your side. Shadowboxing, with continuity and rhythmic speed that alternate.
Sanshou: techniques and applications that prepare the trainee for the conditions of a real battle, so that the arms and the feet are synchronized. Throws and hand techniques that give the opportunity to confront a weak or strong opponent.
During the third part of the demonstration, taolu were presented.
Meaning, routes of techniques, through which one expresses his/herself.  They are supposed to be done with explicit consequence, giving emphasis to the clarity of the techniques and the stances, sometimes garnished with acrobatics, in order to attain explosive power and endurance. They basically are a continuity of techniques, that if deciphered, with patience, one by one or combined, offer important knowledge to the trainee. A knowledge that concerns the dialectics of the body’s force, as well as the combative aspect of the taolu’s movements.

The presence of the audience and that of other school’s teachers, was honourable, numerous and active:
The President of the Hellenic Federation of Wushu Kung Fu, Stamoulis Lampros, along with his student and trainer Georgiou Kostas, the Teacher of the Eagle and the “internal fist”, Dimitris Doukas, the Teacher of the Eagle, Derventis Panagiotis, along with his students and trainers, Dandarakis Giannis and Mitropoulou Aggeliki, the Teacher of the Eagle and Shaolin Kung Fu, Seretis Marios, the Teacher of the “internal fist”, Ipsilantis Grigoris, along with his student and trainer Mpoumi Geni.
A companionship is getting bigger.  

Greetings from all of us to George and to North Eagle Athletic Club for a nice start. A start based on the intensive workout and on the creative thinking of many years.

C.M.