Laughing Dragon Press kit

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Established in 2005 by Chris and Sarah Goodbar, Laughing Dragon Kung Fu offers classes for both children and adults. The classes range from beginning level to advanced. Sifu Chris began practicing martial arts in 1994 when he was 22. His training has included Kokondo Karate, Shaolin Five Animals Kung Fu, two different systems of Praying Mantis Kung Fu, northern Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu and Hua Fist Kung Fu. Laughing Dragon recently became a part of the Jaw Ga Shaolin Institute in Herndon, VA where Sifu Chris has received additional training for the past three and a half

Transcript of Laughing Dragon Press kit

Page 1: Laughing Dragon Press kit

Established in 2005 by Chris and Sarah Goodbar, Laughing Dragon Kung Fu offers classes for both children and adults. The classes range from beginning level to advanced.

Sifu Chris began practicing martial arts in 1994 when he was 22. His training has included Kokondo Karate, Shaolin Five Animals Kung Fu, two different systems of Praying Mantis Kung Fu, northern Shaolin Longfist Kung Fu and Hua Fist Kung Fu. Laughing Dragon recently became a part of the Jaw Ga Shaolin Institute in Herndon, VA where Sifu Chris has received additional training for the past three and a half years. The mission of Laughing Dragon combines practical self-defense skills with a total body workout to inspire a lifelong love of the martial arts.

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Laughing Dragon Mission Statement

The mission of Laughing Dragon is to combine practical self-defense skills with a total body workout and inspire a lifelong love of the martial arts. Laughing Dragon Kung Fu provides a safe atmosphere for students to explore their potential. Sifu Chris’s diverse martial arts background allows for a comprehensive curriculum adaptable to all ages and fitness levels.

History

Chris Goodbar became interested in marital arts shortly after graduating from college when he saw a Karate class through the window of a rec center. In his first class he learned a move that allowed him to put his much larger partner on the floor. He was hooked! After he moved a couple of towns over, Chris saw a flyer for Shaolin Five Animals Kung Fu with Sifu Jim. The class was held in a parking lot. Chris found that the moves of Kung Fu resonated much more with him than the moves of Karate had. When winter came and Sifu Jim put his class on a break, Chris came across the Wah Lum School of Kung Fu which is the Northern Mantis style of Kung Fu. “And the rest is history” as Sifu Chris says! Chris and Sarah met in a Shaolin Eagle Claw Five Leopard Form seminar in Massachusetts. Of their first encounter, Chris says: “our first interaction ever was to be partnered together for the Yin Yang Eagle Claw pressure point attack, which is pretty painful!” It was a perfect match!

After moving to Charlottesville, VA in 2000, Chris and Sarah missed their “Kung Fu family” from the school where they had trained up north. After training with various teachers in the area, Chris and Sarah decided it was up to them to create the kind of camaraderie they missed from their old Kung Fu school. Chris and Sarah started Laughing Dragon Kung Fu in 2005 by renting the small, back room of their current studio for $20.00 an hour, two nights a week. In the beginning, Chris had one child in the Children’s class and three adults in the adult class, including Sarah.

Laughing Dragon Today

Currently, Laughing Dragon has well over 200 students. Classes are held 4 nights a week. On Sunday April 28, 2013 Laughing Dragon Kung Fu officially became a part of the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. The lineage of Jow Ga can be traced back hundreds of years. Laughing Dragon is now teaching the southern system of kung fu forms known as Jow Ga as well as forms from a northern Shaolin system known as Mizong Quan.

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Fact Sheet

Location: 3006 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22901

Contact Information: Phone (434) 973-0318

Email: [email protected]

Hours: 3:00pm to 9:00pm Monday – Thursday. Closed Friday - Sunday

Owners: Chris and Sarah Goodbar

Chris began pursuing martial arts in 1994 at the age of 22

Chris and Sarah met in a Shaolin Eagle Claw Five Leopard Form seminar in Massachusetts.

Laughing Dragon Established in 2005

The term “Sifu”: The teacher Chris, is referred to as Sifu. The term Sifu means father/teacher. It is used to show respect.

Other Terms: Sihing means Kung Fu brother. Sijeh means Kung Fu sister. Both refer to students who have earned a red sash.

Styles of Kung Fu taught: A southern system known as Jow Ga and a northern Shaolin system known as Mizong Quan.

Kung Fu provides a total body work out for all fitness levels

Laughing Dragon became a part of the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute in a ceremony held at the school on Sunday April 28, 2013.

Classes for Children: are held from 3:30pm to 5:45pm Monday – Thursday and range from beginning to advanced classes. Contact Laughing Dragon for details

Classes for Adults: are held from 5:45pm to 8:30pm Monday – Thursday and range from beginning to advanced classes. Contact Laughing Dragon for details

Tuition Cost: 4-5 year old class is $55 per month. All other classes are $85 per month.

Family Member Discounts: 10% off for two family members, 15% off for three or more family members. Twins are two for the price of one

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EXCITING CHANGES AT LAUGHING DRAGON KUNG FU!

Lion Dance performed by Sarah Goodbar and students

On Sunday April 28, 2013 Laughing Dragon Kung Fu officially became a part of

the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute in a ceremony held at the school. The ceremony

which included the famed Lion Dance and demonstrations of various Kung Fu

forms performed by high ranking students. The ceremony took place just after

3pm to a crowd of students, children, and parents.

When addressing the large crowd seated in the main practice area which is called

the Kwoon, Sifu Chris said: “It is a great honor for Laughing Dragon Kung Fu to

become a part of the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. Our school is now a part of a deep

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and rich tradition which can trace its heritage back hundreds of years. We are very

excited!”

Sifu (meaning Kung Fu teacher/father) Chris Goodbar has studied at the Jow Ga

Shaolin Institute for the past three years under Sifu Reza Momenan where he has

learned a southern system of Kung Fu known as Jow Ga and a northern Shaolin

system known as Mizong Quan. Laughing Dragon will adopt a new curriculum

teaching the forms of both of these systems beginning April 29, 2013.

Alter to honor the founders of the the Jow Ga Lineage.

Laughing Dragon Kung Fu was established in 2005 by Chris and his wife Sarah.

Chris’s training has included Kokondo Karate, Shaolin Five Animals Kung Fu,

Praying Mantis Kung Fu, northern Shaolin Long fist Kung Fu and Hua Fist Kung

Fu. He has been practicing martial arts since 1994.

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Blog Post

A Beautiful Ceremony to join Laughing Dragon with the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute

What an auspicious day for our kung fu school! The ceremony to join Laughing Dragon with the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute was beautiful! Sifu Chris had been sending us emails leading up to the ceremony for over a month. He mentioned in class several times that he had been staying late to construct an alter that would honor the Jow Ga lineage of Kung Fu.

On the day of the ceremony, alter stood completed with photographs of the founders of the Jow Ga school and filled with offerings of food. At the beginning of the ceremony Sifu Chris explained that the alter is not religious. Rather, it is to show respect for the founders of the Jow Ga lineage.

Sifu introduced his Sifu to the crowd as Sifu Reza Momenan whom he has studied under for three years. The Kwoon (practice studio) was filled with students, parents, friends and family members. Students from Laughing Dragon and the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute demonstrated both empty hand and weapons forms.

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However, the most exciting performance came when Sijeh Sarah and students from both schools preformed The Lion Dance! During the Lion Dance, even the youngest children were completely enthralled by the graceful and mysterious movements of the lion characters.

Once the performances were completed, Sifu Chris called all of the students forward according to rank. Sijeh Sarah handed each of us a stick of lit incense. Then Sifu Chris had us place our incense sticks in silver dishes that were filled with black colored sand. He placed the dishes on the new Kwoon alter. He said: “Each stick of incense represents each of you. This means that you are now a part of the rich lineage of Jow Ga”. Once the ceremony was complete, Sifu Chris and Sijeh Sarah presented Sifu Momenan with a plaque to mark the joining of the two schools. I know I speak for all when I say that this is an exciting transition at Laughing Dragon!

Contact

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Geneva Fox

(434) 326-3854

[email protected]