Clear, 54° F
If a fight breaks out onstage at the Park County Fair, don’t panic. It’s probably just Sunlight Martial Arts performing on the Pepsi Free Stage.
The Cody-based martial arts studio …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
The Powell Tribune has expanded its online content. To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, or purchase a subscription.
If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free web account by clicking here.
If you already have a web account, but need to reset it, you can do so by clicking here.
If you would like to purchase a subscription click here.
Please log in to continue |
|
If a fight breaks out onstage at the Park County Fair, don’t panic. It’s probably just Sunlight Martial Arts performing on the Pepsi Free Stage.
The Cody-based martial arts studio specializes in a branch of taekwondo called Chung Do Kwan. Its demonstration will depend on the crowd, said owner and instructor Alison Emery, but they like to showcase board breaking with some acrobratic tricks also in the mix.
“Sometimes we let the kids personalize it with different kicks,” Emery said.
Audiences will also see traditional poomsaes (patterns of movements performed by practitioners) and self defense scenarios.
A bo staff perfomance will cap the showcase, with the students performing a variety of tricks — including throwing their staffs in the air and turkey kicks.
The studio wasn’t able to participate in the Cody Stampede Parade this year, as Emery and her mother Bonnie were traveling to nationals. The trip was a successful one: Bonnie — who took over Eagle Spirit Academy and renamed it Sunlight Martial Arts in 2006 — earned her 7th dan (a black belt ranking) at nationals, doing so at 70 years old.
Still, the Cody parade is a popular summertime demonstration for the students, so when the chance came to perform at the Park County Fair, they took it.
“You always practice a little harder when you have something to prepare for,” Emery said.
Sunlight Martial Arts can be found sparring, breaking boards and performing other amazing feats on the Pepsi Free Stage on Wednesday at 1 p.m. and Thursday at 3 p.m.
