When I do my online research I spend a little time looking at new martial artists. I am especially watching and enjoying the work of Sifu Rudy Curry and BlackTaoist on YouTube. Their perspective on the combat applications of Bagua Zhang are fresh and humourous. These guys operate from a New York street perspective, but their classicism is very evident. I will be interviewing Rudy Curry. He actually bought the book, World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets, when he was a child. I think it is going to be a section of the film where I do a survey of people who bought the book.
What really attracted me to their videos is the casual way in which they talk about Bagua, they practice in street clothes in parks, on basketball courts and in apartments. Their practice is in the enviroments they inhabit, there is no dojo, it appears. Street Level Bagua, I guess you would say.
They practice Bagua for self defense. Sifu Curry makes it clear, “I have never been much of a sportsman…” While he is not up for challenges of street fighting anymore, at age 47, I would not make the mistake of challenging him. Just in case you got doubts about his skills, he makes it clear he is available. If you have never understood the true power of the internal arts, you need to watch his videos on YouTube.
Sifu Dodaro Joe here in Chicago, is also making use of the internal in his work. He uses the Dante methods in his teaching of law enforcement officials. I will have him in the film showing us some of that application. Woody Edgell, a direct student of Dante, was a teacher of his. Edgell practices the internal arts now as well. I wonder if this is what Dante would be doing today.
Sifu Curry, is definitely a master of Bagua. See his latest addition to his online instruction here:
