Moved

The Art Aux website has moved to a permanent address. We hope you will come join us in the discussion as we further explore the connections between the Arts and Martial Arts. 2012 has already been a great year.

Check out our Interview with Frank Allen in The Last Great Kung Fu Gym and the new series Art Meet Martial.

Stay tuned, we have some fascinating people and projects coming your way and thanks for supporting all the Arts.

We look forward to seeing you at artaux.org

or check out Cat’s urban garden blog at: Mecha…Vs…Orga

Museum Pieces #auxifttt

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Deth n’ Ivy #artaux3652012 #auxfb #auxwp #auxtblr

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Dark Knight Vs. Dark Ninja

Saturday our son decided that he wanted to write a script and act out a one scene short film. In the early morning our wee ninja worked with dad developing the words for his scene. Mapping out the setting, characters and other details of the scene to be filmed. After much conversation and a few re-edits a script was born:

All great productions need some below the line talent so the mother unit was conscripted into the project as Videographer. After some practice with the actors lines and a few dry runs the producer was ready for our first take. So happy with his first go around he called the project a wrap and asked that we upload it to the internet for all to see. Naturally, we gleefully obliged and you can view our little budding film maker’s work at the ArtAux YouTube channel.

What excites us most in this process is a manifestation of Aux’s goals.  Children are natural creators.  Their imagination is boundless. Opportunities to join so many aspects of eduction into one creative project is an exciting prospect for educators. Part of our vision for Aux is this expansion of the creative mind. Our goals include melding, arts, education and movement through martial arts. Children learn with their whole selves. Providing them projects which encourage them to do so can expand their capacities for learning while encouraging them to use one of their greatest tools, imagination.

Creating an action film short provided the child with multiple educational exercises. From writing a script to rehearsing the action and editing the production the child is involved in every part of his learning experience. The goal is not to create the greatest action film but to bring the child through the full process of creation.

The child has learned to:

Read, write, cooperate, understand process, build confidence, and memorize. He has also experienced movement, concepts of technology use & how to bring an idea from concept to final product. In other words the child has learned with his whole self. Mind and body are engaged.

This is ArtAux in action. This is how we envision children learning. Empowering their imagination and nurturing the bond between the physical and emotional.

Kung Fu for Kids – Read A-loud

Here’s another preview of our Kung Fu For Kids Program.  This Read-a-loud centers at 2nd/3rd grade, but plays up to 5 and down to K with a little help from the reader.

Kung Fu

Kung fu, like all martial arts, begins and ends with respect. To show respect to the great masters of history and around the globe, there are a few facts we should get straight. First, “kung fu” really means something like “to be really great at something you care about because you practiced a lot.” It’s a special quality of something, like a grilled cheese tastes best only if mom makes it for you.

The real word for martial arts in China, the birthplace of kung fu, is “wushu”. Say it a few times fast…wushuwushuwushu. Wushu stars in China are as popular as sports heroes here in the USA. They endorse clothing, have their faces on McDonald’s adds, and appear on TV. Some are so popular they even star in Hollywood movies, like Jet Li and Jackie Chan.

There are thousands of ways of doing kung fu, and we are going to follow one of the most reliable methods: imitating animals. The power of the tiger, the cunning of the rat, and the grace of the eagle will be ours if we set our mind and bodies to it. Kung fu will make us stronger, healthier, and better ready to defend yourself in a dangerous situation.

People often ask about whether kung fu is about being able to fight. In a sense the answer is yes. It fights disease, and fear, and is used to escape from unfriendly people. It is wise to follow the boxer’s rule: “defend yourself at all times”.

In the Chinese language, all the words written as pictures. The word for martial art has two parts: a spear and a shield. It means “to stop the spear”. In other words, to master kung fu means acquiring the ability to end all fighting though bravery, peace of mind, and skill.

With that in mind, let’s begin our kung fu journey.

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