Cute Misunderstandings

We had a smaller class on Friday which meant that we moved through material much more quickly than usual, especially as the class shrunk more and more as children were picked up for trick or treating. We try to have a feedback section of the class every time but it's not always possible. It's also not always helpful because children find it difficult to come up with a new suggestion when put on the spot like that.
But some girls gave a suggestion simply by doing cartwheels. So we started doing those, and I had a little jumpy section at the end of the second class as well.

The younger kids couldn't do cartwheels so I tried to show them the beginnings of a jump and spin. I later showed how this motion could translate into a jump kick.

As I showed them I got down into a low horse stance and tapped my thigh to draw attention to my low stance, because getting down helps you jump higher and makes the move easier.

One boy got up to the front of the line, did not get down in a stance, but made a big show about tapping his thigh, as if that was a magical and important part of the motion that would enable him to do the move. This was so funny to me. I guess I should have corrected it but whatever he's like 4 years old and class is almost over.

But it's funny how things can develop like that. There are a lot of ritualized things in Kung Fu and Lion Dance, especially among beginner students and students of beginner students, motions that are considered necessary and holy, that may very well have their origins in things like this. The important part was the stance, not the tapping. Just like a Buddhist saying Bruce Lee quotes in Enter the Dragon, it is the moon that is important not the finger pointing to it.

I suppose that's why even in small things like that, getting the full understanding and picture from the Sifu is important, and takes time, even if the Sifu isn't holding anything back on purpose.