Thursday, September 9, 1976
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
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Martial arts:
The basic
mastery of dimension
By JAY LEVIN
The lean, lithe man with white pants, pale
yellow shirt and determined face moves for-
ward, then back again in a ballet of slow,
graceful motions. Outstretching his arms and
thrusting his legs in a lethargic, yet decisive,
kick, he propelles his body parts in soft
unison, forever aware of the space he oc-
cupies in the airy, mirror-clad gym.
After his brief exercise concludes, Steve Har-
rigan retreats to a sunny window perch and
talks softly of the art he calls his specialty, Tai
Chi Chuan.
"WHAT WE'RE emphasizing here is the basic
mastery of dimension - you're the master of
your own bio-space, and you move within your
space," he says. "Whatever happens on the
outside, you have inner calm."
Curiously, Tai Chi Chuan, even with its seem-
ingly non-violent appearance, can be used as a
martial art. Ann Arbor offers a bounty of op-
portunities to learn these ancient oriental skills,
both commercially and through University
Clubs, for those interested in defending them-
selves, exercising, or just seeking the inimitable
feeling of well being and inner calm.
Harrigan teaches Tai Chi Chuan at Arts World
on Main St., and is very serious about what he
tabs both a mental and physical exercise.
"TAI CHI CHUAN is too big, too broad to de-
fine," says Harrigan, whose curly brown hair is
tinged with a hint of grey. "It's the multi-facet-
ed study of life. It includes philosophy, moral
conduct, mysticism, exercise, mental health,
and martial art. It's a living philosophy: you do
the philosophy."
Harrigan adds that for this "non-linear" art
to be used effectively in a martial sense, one
must spend ten years mastering the precise
body moves.
Across the street from Arts World, at The
Academy, the lung thrust cries of white-robed
children practicing a more violent martial
art, the ancient Korean Tai Kwon Do, can be
heard by any passing pedestrian.
HEAD INSTRUCTOR Edward Sell is a sixth
level black belt and the highest ranged non-
Oriental practitioner of Tai Kwon Do in the
world.
Tai Kwon Do is a science to coordinate the
mind and body, to act as one, to avoid violence,
danger and harm to the body by strengthening
the mind," he says.
Sell, whose muscular torso is clad in a royal
blue sweatsuit and whose face radiates the
glow of a fresh sunburn, emphasizes that Tai
Kwon Do (or "karate to the layman") is basic-
ally an art of control.
"TAI KWON DO is the controlling of ones
emotions,' 'he says. "You will not find a true
student flying off the handle."
To demonstrate the control technique, Sell told
me to stand completely rigid, then thrust a
beefy fist toward my probiscus, missing it by
a threadbare margin. It took me several mo-
ments to recoup.
Sell suggests that those interested in learning
Tai Kwon Do, or any form of martial art,
should "shop around" by checking out various
establishments, talk to students, and investigate
the instructor's credentials.
All the city's a stage for
the dancer in Ann Arbor
!the danc r in A nn(Continued from Page 3)
to either know the right people or strike it in the right way. It
does happen but it's kind of a rarity."
Bergmann, however, disagrees. "Those people (Universiy
graduates) who've wanted to perform have been successful," she
said, listing a number of former students who are now linked
with reputable New York companies.
"I've been getting my body ready for New York," said
McGraw who unlike Baker or Bergmann is nurturing an addic-
tion to ballet. Though many modern dancers eventually resign
themselves to gracing western and midwestern dance halls,
ballerinas are born with the gleam of New York stagelights in
their eyes.
McGraw is however wary of the pitfalls she might meet in
New York. "You have to be sixteen to fly off to New York to
do ballet." So she'll settle for a career in modern dance-she's
willing to be flexible; "I can dance, it doesn't have to be in
Schorling, it can be anywhere for me . . . I just want to perform
you've got to decide for yourself where the growing ex-
periences are."
NON-DANCE MAJORS are not excluded from the Ann Arbor
dance picture. They can be invited to join a group of University
Dancers. Opportunities also exist for instruction and performing
in the community so don't dispair if you get closed out of a
University dance class-you're most likely the rule, not the
exception.
The Sylvia Hamer School of Dance is a studio where anyone
can walk in and learn ballet at $3.50 a lesson (there's a discount
for students). Hamer herself is a virtual dance-community
legend and although in her mid-80's she's still teaching.
Art Worlds, the YM-YWCA and the Ann Arbor Parks and
Recreation Program are all there to catch you when the Uni-
versity throws you out in the cold, and they probably charge
less for the offering. And if you're into folk dancing for free,
get over to the Dental Building some Friday night.
Strictly for entertainment's sake, the Ann Arbor Civic Ballet
lights up the Power Center stage once a year with works per-
formed by community dancers and choreographed by noted New
York professionals. The University Musical Society often features
ballet to a community overdosing on modern dance, with a num-
ber of famous visiting troupes. Meanwhile, African dance is
flourishing with the University-sponsored Trotter house providing
the style its niche.
Laflv photo by STEVE KA AN
Frank Lobbestach, a green belt, going through his painstaking practice sessions at The
Academy.
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INTERNATIONAL
PRESENTATIONS
I
t
1976 -1977
98th Season
of Music and Dance
-A
A wide variety of entertainment awaits concertgoers this
season as guest artists from 19 countries and America
perform in three auditoriums on the U-M campus. Sym-
phony orchestras, chamber groups, opera, recitals, chor-
al music, Asian groups, and all types of dance are
offered in the series listed here. You may purchase a
complete series at the prices noted, or buy single concert
CHORAL UNION SERIES
HILL AUDITORIUM
ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Thurs., Sept. 16
ZUBIN MEHTA, Conductor
HAIM TAUB, Violinist
SHERRILL MILNES, Baritone .............. Fri. Oct. 8
MELBOURNE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sun. Oct. 17
CHARLES MACKERRAS, Conductor;
FESTIVAL CHORUS
ORCHESTRE DE PARIS ..............,Wed. Oct. 27
DANIEL BARENBOIM, Conductor
LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Sun. Nov. 14
BERNARD HAITINK, Conductor
CHAMBER ARTS SERIES
RACKHAM AUDITORIUM
GUARNERI STRING QUARTET . ......... Sat. Oct. 9
First concert featuring the complete Beethoven cycle.
BAROQUE MUSIC MASTERS ........... Wed. Oct. 20
ASIAN SERIES
RACKHAM AUDITORIUM
MARTIAL ARTS OF KABUKI ............Thurs. Oct. 21
CHINESE ACROBATS (in Hill Aud.)......Sat. Nov. 6
YAMINI KRISHNAMURTI, South Indian Dancer
Mon. Feb. 28
MASKED DANCE-DRAMA OF KOREA ... Wed. Mar. 16
GUARNERI STRING QUARTET ....
Fri. Nov. 5
AEOLIAN CHAMBER PLAYERS .......... Sat. Nov. 20
SERIES OF 4: $20, $15, $10
JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL, Flutist
Fri. Jan. 14
tickets in September.
WARSAW QUINTET (piano and strings) ..Thurs. Feb. 3
GUARNERI STRING QUARTET .....(aft.) Sun. Feb. 20
CHOICE SERIES
POWER CENTER
PRAGUE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
.....Sat. Jan. 15
FRANS BRUEGGEN, Flute & Recorder;
ALAN CURTIS, Harpsichord ............
SERIES OF 8: s40, $30, s20
. Tues. Mar. 22
DEBUT RECITAL SERIES
JORGE BOLET, Pianist ................Sat. Feb. 5
LENINGRAD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Thurs. Feb. 10
YURI TEMIRKANOV, Conductor
CZECH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA ..Thurs. Mar. 3
VACLAV NEUMANN, Conductor
DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA and
UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION .. .. (aft.) Sun. Mar. 20
ALDO CECCATO conducts Beethoven's "Missa Sol-
emnis" with BENITA VALENTE, Soprano, ELAINE
BONAZZI, Contralto, SETH McCOY, Tenor, ARA
BERBERIAN, Bass.
SERIES OF 10;:x+60, $50. S40, $30. x520
DORA STRATOU'S GREEK DANCES .....Sat.
80 folk dancers from Athens (aft.) Sun.
SPANISH NATIONAL FOLK BALLET .....Mon.
JULIAN BREAM, Guitarist (in Hill Aud.)
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
BEETHOVEN
"~FINALE PAl "O'
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RACKHAM AUDITORIUM
GUARNERI STRING QUARTET
GUARNERI STRING QUARTET
-.. - .Sat. Apr. 16
(aft.) Sun. Apr. 17
(aft.) Sun. Oct .31
VICTOR HERBERT'S "Naughty Marietta" . Fri. & Sat.
starring CYRIL RITCHARD Nov. 12 & 13
TCHAIKOVSKY'S "Nutcracker" BALLET
THE PITTSBURGH BALLET Thurs. Fri. Sat.
Dec. 16, 17, 18
VERDI'S "LA TRAVIATA" ................Sun. Jan. 9
CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY (aft. & eve.)
ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET ........... . ..Sat. Jan. 29
(Two different programs) (aft.) Sun. Jan. 30
nAT U7VTVFN7lTT'T A Wed. Feh 7
A new series featuring top-notch artists
SERIES OF 2: $10, $L50, $5
making their Ann Arbor debuts:
COMPLETE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT:
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