Society Spotlight: UC Stars Kung Fu
By Peter Searles
This month I spoke to Sifu Wilson Lo, founder of UC Stars Kung Fu Club. Wilson has been a martial arts instructor for 27 years and the University of Canberra (UC) club is an extension of the academy he started in 2004. In 2017, when Wilson (who is also a medical doctor) was working at UC’s medical centre, he decided to establish a club on campus as a way of involving UC students in his classes, which also accept members from the wider Canberra community. Now the club trains weekly in the UC refectory. But the training members receive extends beyond just the practice of self-defence.
As Wilson explained, the term ‘kung fu’ refers to martial arts from China. But the term translates from Cantonese into English simply as ‘art’. People engaged in any discipline, whether it’s dance, cooking or other art forms, can be said to have kung fu if they have achieved an artful level of skill.
Wilson draws on three distinct disciplines of martial arts in his teachings. These are Yee Kuen (Taiwanese variant of Hsing -I), Cheng style Bagua and Black Eagle Eskrima – the Filipino art of weaponry. Kung fu club members spend the first hour of each training session learning self-defence from a blend of these disciplines. The second hour of training is devoted to the Chinese performing arts of lion and dragon dance.
Canberra Dragon Dance performing at the UC Moonlit Markets
In China, lion and dragon dance is traditionally performed by kung fu practitioners. It is essentially the team version of kung fu as it utilises the same physical movements. Sifu Wilson Lo’s academy, which performs under the name of Canberra Dragon Dance, takes part in an average of 60 dance performance gigs per year. These include the Multicultural Festival, Enlighten and Floriade, as well as private wedding celebrations and events right here on campus like the Moonlit Markets.
Amazingly for UC students, membership to the UC Stars Kung Fu club is just $5 per year! This includes weekly training sessions at no extra cost. The club encourages all students to have a go, regardless of skill level. And there are many ways to get involved, as the group incorporates skills besides martial arts (such as music and dance) into their performances, so those with experience in other disciplines can easily apply their skills.
To get started, join the club and attend the Sunday training sessions in UC refectory from 4 - 6pm. Wear comfy clothes and shoes and bring along some drinking water. It’s a great way to meet new people and learn a range of new skills. See the UCX club page to join or contact the club.