No need to worry if you are a beginner. If you are going to learn, learn from a master. Our in house expert Mister Darth Vader (DV to his friends, as seen on Oprah and Ellen) will take you through your paces and reveal to you the secrets of Tai Chi. After all – the word chi in Chinese means life-force and it is the energy created by all living beings in the universe.
Hey! We know he comes with something of a reputation, but, rest assured. Our fully comprehensive insurance policy will ensure that in the case of accidental decapitation your nearest and dearest will want for nothing.
So, sit back and take in the 42-Form as it is known in Tai Chi circles. You’re sure to want to sign up when you see DV go through his moves! Explore your inner calm, find that relaxed concentration and, most of all discover that lethal inner precision you always knew you had.
Terms and conditions apply. Kuriositas assumes no responsibility for damages or injury related to prolonged exposure to the dark side. Darth Vader Does Tau Chi is not a trademark, it's more of an oxymoron.
Seriously, though - how good was that? A real labor of love by Vimeo user and Star Wars fan John Leo.
8 comments:
This is awesome!!
Anyone know the name of the song?
Yes, the music is New Aura by Tandu...
This is cool. Only...you've confused the word "Chi" in Tai Chi with Chi/Qi. From Wikipedia:
The term t'ai chi ch'uan translates as "supreme ultimate fist", "boundless fist", "great extremes boxing", or simply "the ultimate" (note that chi in this instance is the Wade-Giles transliteration of the Pinyin jí, and is distinct from ch'i / qì, meaning "life-force" or "energy"). The concept of the Taiji ("supreme ultimate") appears in both Taoist and Confucian Chinese philosophy, where it represents the fusion or mother of Yin and Yang into a single Ultimate, represented by the Taijitu symbol. Thus, tai chi theory and practice evolved in agreement with many Chinese philosophical principles, including those of Taoism and Confucianism.
Thanks - we stand corrected!
I applaud the amazing animation work done by Mr. Leo. And it is quite an interesting idea to use such animation to connect more people to t'ai chi ch'uan.
However, the video has many problems, especially because it is full of false or questionable information.
Aside from saying that the 'chi' in T'ai chi means the same thing as "ch'i" or life energy (as pointed out by someone else above), the video goes on to equate this ancient idea to a plot device in a fictional movie plot. This hardly fosters understanding.
I would question whether we really have 4000 years of T'ai Chi Ch'uan history, as well. Even the most ambitious of legendary accounts only assert about 1000 years since t'ai chi ch'uan's founding by a Chinese sage named Chang San-Feng.
All of this pales in comparison to the video's idea that a cartoon character can teach you t'ai chi. For all Mr. Leo's skill as an animator, his rendering of Darth Vader does little to convey the correct movements of a t'ai chi ch'uan form, and nothing to convey its spirit. T'ai chi is a living art infused with the living energy of living beings; animation, no matter how skillful, simply cannot get this across.
It is said in t'ai chi circles that our T'ai Chi journeys begin with instruction from a good teacher and continue to higher levels with enduring practice. Certainly the first steps are the most important, and they must be taken with a competent teacher. Even live-action videos fall short, and relying on computer-generated animation is heading in the wrong direction.
In this case, we must depend on both Mr. Leo's understanding of the art of t'ai chi and his skill in rendering it through animation. Further, even in the best of circumstances, skillful animation could only convey some of the external images of t'ai chi movements, and none of its internal discipline and power. T'ai chi is a lot more than just steps, kicks, and pretty arm-waving.
You can't just imagine your way to the correct use of internal power by watching Star Wars. If you ever watched "The Music Man" you can remember what a disaster "the Think System" turned out to be. I feel strongly that such a disaster would befall anyone who tried to use this video and a facebook page to learn T'ai chi from 'Darth Vader.'
There are lots of qualified t'ai chi teachers out there. Do some research and find one. A live one. Preferably someone who teaches only t'ai chi, and not six other things as well. T'ai chi is passed down through family lineages (in the Chinese tradition), so if you can find someone with a verifiable connection to such a lineage, you have a better chance of getting the real thing passed on to you. It only makes sense to seek out the best instruction you can get.
In closing, I'd like to say that, if this charming animated video piques your interest in t'ai chi, so much the better. But don't assume it's got the facts straight and don't try to use it as a teacher; find a real, live one.
Mesmerizing. Represents a lot of work. Thanks for posting!
Hi, I am interested in studying animation. Could anyone please tell me what application(s) were used to create this Tai Chi video and what skill set would be required in order to use the said aplication. Thanks and great video!!
Post a Comment