It's been a while, so let's get caught up.
TRAINING:
I last posted a Stick Chicktivity back on August 20. Here's what's happened since:
We attended a seminar by GM Shelley Millspaugh at the end of August. We also had a private lesson with him on Kombatan Freestyle that we found SUPER helpful and valuable. We will be pursuing training in more Kombatan and ultimately, seeking rank from GM Shelley eventually, as we strengthen our Kombatan side. As I was still healing up from the shoulder surgery, I didn't do a lot more than take notes, but they were GOOD notes.
So, maybe I've mentioned it in passing once or twice... we opened Kindred Protective Arts. We have our KPA Kids and KPA Teens/Adults running, plus Force Necessary on Sundays. After we announced it, the level of good wishes and support has been absolutely spectacular, and we are so grateful for all of y'all who sent positive messages or even reached out to help in some way.
We had our last session of the Kansas City Presas Arnis Meetup on a Sunday at our old location. The Meetup will return in November, on Saturday afternoons after our Saturday adult class in our school.
We still run a class at Elite Dragon Martial Arts on Mondays.
So what have we been doing in classes?
At KPA, we've been assessing our students to rank them. A big surprise for me, personally, is that our students *wanted* to have uniforms, and ranks, and belts, and all the stuff of a traditional martial arts school. Back in the Meetup, we just did whatever we felt like, with no progression planned out in advance, no ranks, we wore comfy clothes.
Now, we're super-structured. And we awarded the ranks last night.
We look like a REAL MARTIAL ARTS CLASS, don't we?
So that assessment stuff meant we ran through a WHOLE LOT of material we've covered in the past few years, just to get an idea where our students stand. We played sinawali, we worked on our defensive responses, we blocked and checked and countered our arms off, we played with a jillion disarms, we played sumbrada, we played tapi-tapi, we even practiced a form or two.
Busy and FUN. Everything we were hoping it'd be, it is. It's great.
In KPA Kids, we have two new kids, and Younger Daughter has decided she wants to train in Arnis again, so we are working on Sinawali and the 12 Angles and working on forms (gotta get those stances fixed).
Over at Elite Dragon, we've worked on disarms and a few skill-building drills that get the sticks a'smokin'. It's been fun.
And now we're here. It's October 1, the 1-month anniversary of the founding of Kindred Protective Arts as an actual open martial arts school.
BLOGGERY:
Okay, so, here's everything I posted on the blog since the last Stick Chicktivity:
I WAS BUSY.
Find us on social media on my MeWe page, on Tumblr and Pinterest and like the Facebook page and follow TSC Blog on Instagram, too.
I am back blogging on the regular now that my schedule has simmered down a bit. Missed y'all. ;)
DOING STUFF:
Well, if you're in the KC area, you really ought to come join us next Friday for our ribbon cutting & open house... we'll have coffee & snacks for the ribbon cutting, and we'll have lumpia at the open house! Come on by!
Saturday 10/9 & Sunday 10/10, you can attend the big-time seminar that Hock Hochheim is putting on at our place! Day 1 is Filipino Martial Arts, and Day 2 is Force Necessary: Gun! and Force Necessary: Knife! Learn more HERE.
Proceeds benefit KPA (we have some mats, but we need more!). We are SO GRATEFUL Hock offered to do this for us. It's... well, I don't have the words. It's just super awesome.
The following weekend SMP Arnis is having a camp out in Nevada, but you can attend online! Details HERE.
On the second weekend of November, the World Modern Arnis Alliance is having its Texas Camp. Details are HERE. I am not sure if I can go yet, or not - it will be a last-minute decision for me. But you should go if you can.
FRIDAY THOUGHTS:
Besides the school opening, and job hunting, my sister and I are managing issues with my mom being sick, so things are kind of chaotic at the moment. I am grateful we have our school because it's such a bright spot, y'know?
Ok, I will "see" you next week.
Y'all stay safe, have fun and keep training!