Essentials of Karate Arts that you need to know

The Art of Karate can be traced back to an event called ‘Pankration’ held during the first Olympic Games in 776 B.C. This type of Japanese martial arts was developed in the island of Okinawa which was invaded by Japanese in the 17th Century. The invasion involved weapon ban while warrior invaders wore bamboo armor. With the help of Chinese experts on the island,

islanders kick or punch to penetrate such armor and disable the warrior. Since then, they developed karate training which aims to form unarmed combat techniques with hands and feet as lethal weapons.

Karate comes from the Japanese characters which mean “empty hand”. This fighting technique includes kicking, grappling, punching, locks and joint manipulation. It is widely known as an art of self defense and signifies a mysterious way of fighting which enables the executor to cause death or injury even with a single blow.

It doesn’t only focus on physical strength but also polishing inner self and spirit to eliminate weakness and boost strength.

Karate Practice and techniques in Karate training, a mix of extensive physical aspects and incorporation of psychological elements are highlighted. Karatearts is divided into four aspects such the basics, forms, sparring and weapons training.

The basics or kihon involves variety of styles performed in unison or a combination of techniques which is usually executed through pre-arranged drills in small groups or in pairs. Kata, which constitutes forms in Karate,

displays sequence of movements representing a variety of offensive and defensive postures. This concept will lead to real understanding of combat principles while developing correct posture and gracefulness. Sparring or kumite include knockdown karate, kickboxing variants and free sparring.

This technique is mostly notable in tournaments and employs grappling, kicking and punching. Lastly, training of traditional weaponry is the focus of kobudo.

Karate as a sport

The world of sports has witnessed how Karate arts dramatically evolved the last 20 years. With the aid of movies and television, its popularity increased throughout the world and even become part of the Olympic Games. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the World Karate Federation facilitates karate competition in the Olympic Games and develop common rules governing all the techniques. Sparring and forms may be demonstrated as a team or by individual. Judging for kata and kobudois through a panel of judges while kumite is judged by a head referee. Karate as a sport is aimed to express and display series of defensive and counter attacking movements. This effectively display how Karate evolved as used in self-defense.

Karate Philosophy

Intensive Karate training incorporates mental refinement and leadership essentials. Anko Itosu, Grandfather of Modern Karate, emphasized the importance of self-discipline and promoted the virtue of personal conviction. This aspect of karate teaches every karateka to practice courtesy, purge selfish thoughts and to be inwardly humble and outwardly gentle. For intent and focus practice, karate will help each karateka to effectively clean one’s mind from evil thought and to never be easily drawn into the fight. Indeed, the world of Karate does not only revolve around physical power and strength. This type of Japanese martial arts promotes the virtues of perseverance and will power. In karate arts, mastery of the craft is not totally physical. A karateka can only be self-improved by keeping within him heart and character.

Arts Jewellery Fashion Designer Show

Climate change is a stark reality and represents one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing the planet. I feel, as a designer, it’s our responsibility to bring these issues of international relevance across the society” said Puneet Gupta. A bridge between beautiful homes and inspiring home makers, the party witnessed the who’s who of fashion circuit enjoying to their best. Some of the guests seen chatting were Rohit Bal, Shibani Kashyap, Charu Parashar, Thenny, Raghavendra Rathore, Thenny, Nida Mahmood, Ramneek Paintal, Blossom Kochhar, Vijay Arora, Sanjay Kapoor, Varun Bahl, Ashima and Leena and many more.

Shyamal and Bhumika, best known for their India inspired collection, incepted their fashion journey in 2006 with Lakme Fashion Week. They have now successfully made a mark in the industry as they continue to mesmerize buyers and fashionst as with their Indian designs. Stylekandy.com caught up with the designers to know more about their preferences and design sensibilities. Ask them the reason for taking up fashion designing as a career and Shyamal reveals, “I wanted to become an architect since childhood. Probably it was the family influence since my dad belongs to designing field mom is a jewellery designer. Bhumika adds, “I am a NIFT graduate and when I met him we thought of launching our own in 2009.” The duo look India-wards for inspiration. “Our designs mostly incorporate an Indian element- hand embroideries and Indian handicraft. Even abroad, most of our clients are Indian, who actually crave for ethnicity in clothing. When we have to design for the western market, we keep global aesthetics in mind. Handicrafts are our forte”, explained Shyamal.

“When making western designs, we certainly refer to the global forecast. However, the ultimate decision is taken by our hearts. Despite the prediction we always decide on instinct and creativity”, uttered Bhumika. On a lighter note, we asked them what is the best compliment they have ever got. “Our collections have always been appreciated by people. It feels amazing when people email us or come and say that they love our work or they looked lovely in the designs. Also, there is no bigger compliment than feeling satisfied by ones own designs!” they speak diplomatically in tandem. They feel that designer play a huge role in reviving art and craft. “Almost all designers use some kind of handwork. That ways, the art gets promoted and craftsmen are benefitted. It is true that exploitation of this class exists, more so in rural areas, but one should make a conscious effort to remain fair and just. We should not depend on the government to help them out” Bhumika opines. Their idea of style is very simple and sophisticated. “When I have to style my self, I make it semi casual. Probably a simple basic coat with a subtle, extra noticeable element in it, paired with denims which are comfortable.” When not designing, Shyamal like reading books and short stories. “I also design interiors since I like architecture.” Enjoy exploring various cultures through travelling and horse riding are some of the other hobbies the duo enjoy.

Things You Must Do To Grow Your Martial Arts School

There are 3 things you must do every week – and sometimes every day in every class – to make sure your martial arts school thrives. Those 3 things are:

Bring in new students
Retain the students you have
Get more from your students

It is critical to the survival of your school that you block off time every week to focus on these 3 things. This might be 1 hour or 1 day. It might be to create a new class, new marketing program or for education in martial arts management to make sure you are growing as a martial arts school owner.

Marketing
You should be setting aside time every week to work on growing your school. This does not mean you have to create a brand new marketing plan every week. One week each month you can focus on education. Just like learning martial arts – you are constantly learning new things, right?

The same applies to marketing. Pick up a book, read a blog, read the business section of the newspaper. You have to learn the basics and continue to learn and grow in marketing as well.

Student Retention
Student retention is vital to any martial arts school. If you get 3 new students but 4 leave then you have not just gone back by a count of 1 youve actually gone back by 4 because had you retained those students you would now have a total of 7 students.

Each week you should be doing things to ensure your students are going to stay in your program as long as possible. This could be sending out birthday cards, writing a school newsletter, offering special workshops, learning more about the student and their family to build a stronger relationship, the list is almost endless.

Internal Marketing
The last item, internal marketing, is one that is often forgotten. Yet it is critically important.

What most small business owners, and most martial arts school owners, fail to understand is that it takes a whole lot more effort and money to find a new client then it does to sell again to an existing client.

To get a new student you must spend a lot of time and money finding them and convincing them that your school is what they are looking for and need.

It takes much less time and money to sell your current students on a Saturday workshop, or sell them a T-shirt, or get them to take private lessons.

You Are Not Alone
You do not have to take on these tasks all by yourself. There are many places you can get information to cut down your learning curve or save time and money by using existing materials.

You can get books on marketing, you can ask other martial arts school owners what they do, you can join online forums in places like LinkedIn, or fan pages on FaceBook, you can purchase materials from martial arts business or management companies.

International Martial Arts Management Systems, (IMAMS) is one such place. We offer a system that is created of training modules that consistently brings in 4, 5, maybe 10 students every month. We have modules for student retention and many many ways to help you with internal marketing.

Sunshine Coast Dance & Performing Arts Classes

SCPAC: Shaping Australian Passion for Dance and the Performing Arts

SCPAC is an Australian dance and performing arts centre teaching students of the wonderful world of the performing arts, with a mission of guiding and encouraging them to excel and succeed, reaching beyond their limitations, through a caring professional environment,

Established in 2001 by Cameron and Bonnita Anthony-McIntosh, in just a short year, SCPAC has grown to be one of the largest and most successful dance and performing arts centres on the Sunshine Coast region.

With over four hundred students, SCPAC caters to all levels of ability in a caring professional environment, whether for fun and fitness or for the more serious dances. It prides itself on producing strong confident dancers, actors and singers as a product of their commitment to give each and every student the best possible tuition in professional surroundings.

They offer classes that includes primary, classical, and extended ballet, hip hop, jazz, tap, song and dance, acrobatics, drama, and to a more professional level team.

Mrs. Bonnita Anthony-McIntosh is the Principal of the centre whos backed up by her prolific and energetic team. Mr. Cameron McIntosh, her real-life partner, is in-charge of managing the centre serving as the administration manager.

Experts in Drama, Vocal, and Dance includes licensed teachers, Hayley Mulder, Mandee Paterson, Natalie Scott, and Jasmin Blackwell.

SCPAC have also state of the art facilities available in its two studios located in Caloundra and Beerwah Queensland.

Interested students are now welcome to enroll for the 2010 classes. They may contact the centre administration to enquire of their 2010 prospectus.

For further information, refer to the contact details and addresses below:

http://www.scpaconline.com

Bonnita Anthony-McIntosh
DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS
P: (07) 54 912 511
E:

Cameron McIntosh
ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
P: (07) 54 912 511
M: 0417 004 894
E:

SCPAC Caloundra Studio
5/16 Sydal Street Caloundra QLD 4551

SCPAC Beerwah Studio
10/1 Roys Road Beerwah QLD 4519

Multimedia Arts School Shaping Digital Reform In Philippines

We are now living in a multi-faceted digital world where everyone and everything has been digitized. The increasing numbers of digital lifestyle technologies that are taking up almost every aspect of our day-to-day living have gradually transformed our lives, causing every one of us to be reliant on technology.

Unfortunately, our basic knowledge and technical skills are not enough to keep pace with the demands of digital revolution. As the world faces a more serious and intense industrial transformation, the country is also faced with a greater need for equipped and experienced workforces that would facilitate and monitor such change. Businesses and institutions, most especially, would have to acquire better personnel and superior equipment and resources to advance their services and keep up with their clients necessities.

A Digitally Transformed Nation

Through digital technology, peoplespecifically the young onesare now engaging and enjoying in various online activities, such as social networking, instant messaging, video conferencing, and gaming. In fact, comScore, a U.S.-based research company has ranked the Filipinos as the worlds heaviest users of social media, and the Philippines as the country with the highest penetration in Facebook across the globe.

Apart from those life-changing developments, digitization stretched cutting-edge boundaries in art style and media. These new dimensions have provided huge and exciting opportunities and possibilities for people and industries, especially those that are related to multimedia arts.

Interactive media have become a commonplace globally, as its application can be found in a wide range of industries including, but not limited to:

Creative industries
Commercial
Entertainment and fine arts
Education
Engineering
Medicine
Scientific research
Education
Business sector

In the Philippines, Filipinos have shown their involvement and excellence in the digital world by winning a number of international competitions that are linked to the use of digital technology. Among these are global contests in video production and web master development that require high-tech tools and gadgets. In addition, Filipino animators were also able to penetrate and work in different digital film and game development companies overseas, showcasing their talents to many nations globally.

Mounting Career Opportunities

Meanwhile, due to the growing consumer demand for realistic visual and special effects, electronic publishing, digital audio, as well as three-dimensional graphics, employment and career opportunities in the design and media arts are expected to grow in the local and foreign job market in the coming years. Competition for job openings is also assumed to be tighter and challenging.

In order to be highly employable in the industry, a candidate should have the artistic talents and technical skills required by the position. There are several digital arts schools offering programs which focus on interactive media work and training in such field. CIIT, for one, is among the best emerging colleges for multimedia arts in the Philippines. Students of CIIT are trained to be equipped with wide range of digital media skills.

CIIT offers programs that will develop each students creative and technical competence through appropriate hands-on training. Through the use of state-of-the-art facilities and software, the school helps motivate and bring out the passion of every student in digital arts and design.

So if you are a multimedia arts and animation enthusiast, enroll now at CIIT!

To know more about the schools programs and services, visit www.ciit-ph.com.