BAGUA ZHANG

CHEN TAIJIQUAN
LAO JIA YI LU & STRAIGHT SWORD- DVD

A YMAA PRODUCTION • REN GUANGYI & LOU REED • "CHEN TAIJIQUAN DVD 1" • PERFORMED BY REN GUANGYI & LOU REED • NARRATION BY LOU REED • NARRATION RECORDING BY JOEL HAMILTON • MUSIC COMPOSED, PERFORMED & PRODUCED BY LOU REED • FLIPPERVISION™ PRODUCTION BY MARK MCGAULEY • DVD AUTHORING BY MEDIAMANIC • WRITTEN, PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY DAVID SILVER

I've been waiting a long time for YMAA to come out with some information on the Chen Family Style of Taijiquan. Understandably, as Master Yang Jwing Ming, to the best of my knowledge, did not study Chen Family Style Taijiquan, no videos or books covering Chen Taijiquan have been published by YMAA prior to this release.

Therefore, I was very excited about this DVD, especially since the form presented is essentially the same long form of Chen Style that I learned from my teacher, Arthur Lee Starling.

I'm also intrigued by the ambient music and narration contributed by Lou Reed, who is a student of Ren GuangYi. Visit Lou Reed's site, www.loureed.org and you'll find a really nicely designed website. You can find a section on his site that has a photo gallery of pictures taken by Ren GuangYi. Rather a nicely done site. The other great addition to this DVD is the writing, directing and artistic direction of David Silver, a longtime collaborator of Dr. Yang Jwing Ming.

The DVD presents Ren GuangYi demonstrating the Liao Jia Yi Lu of Chen style in essentially three formats.

The form is filmed with a changing perspective, where the camera angle changes to match the movement of the form.
The form is filmed primarily from the front and side view. (Use angle button on remote)
The form is filmed primarily from the rear and side view. (Use angle button on remote)

The quality in the presentation of the form by Ren GuangYi is excellent. He performs with very evident power, strength, balance and presence. The filming of the form matches the quality of the performance by Ren GuangYi. The viewer is treated to a master of the art who does not hold back in his presentation. Ren GuangYi looks excellent throughout the DVD. By the way, seems like Central Park in New York is thought of by some people as a dirty unattractive park. Well, check out the beautiful setting for this DVD. It's Central Park in New York City and it looks great.

The DVD is missing the top notch instructional sections that YMAA is known for. My hope is that a future release from Ren GuangYi and David Silver will add more teaching sections as well as cover some applications of the movements. Since the DVD is titled "CHEN TAIJIQUAN DVD 1" in the credits, it seems very likely that there will be a second act. Excellent!

Normally, I would not recommend a video that leaves out instruction and applications. However, the quality of the form being presented by Ren GuangYi is so superb, that it is worth owning this DVD even without an instruction section.

Ren GuangYi then demonstrates Fa Jing, or issuing of power, a skill that is usually associated with Chen Style Taijiquan. Chen Style is famous for its spiraling, wide leg stances, low stances and the mixed tempo of its moves, which results in Fa Jing. A slow movement will suddenly explode with power, unlike Yang Style Taijiquan, which is performed at a steady, slow pace.

The performance by Ren GuangYi is very inspiring and has benefited my understanding and performance of the Chen form that I practice. The quality of what is being presented is top notch and is a wonderful taste of what I hope is more to come.

The second section of the DVD has Ren GuangYi performing a Chen Style Sword Routine. Ren GuangYi is as masterful with the sword form as he was with the first Lu of Chen Family Style Taijiquan. I hope when the second part of this DVD is published that it includes a section on this sword form as well. Ren GuangYi carries the sword with a skill that can't be faked or rushed. The level of his presentation is a result of correct teaching and thousands of hours of devoted, focused practice.

The DVD also incorporates a technique called "FLIPPERVISION". A famed photographer has captured Ren GuangYi as he performs the first Lu of the Chen Style Taijiquan. The photographs are then resented in a slide show format, allowing the viewer to stop and see "snapshot" moments in time as the series progresses through the form.