Shaolin Warriors - Info

Due to high demand for theatre that thinks outside of the box, Shaolin Warriors soon found themselves booked up across the whole of North America. As the Warriors showcased their culture and tradition audiences across the US and Canada, the show received high acclaim wherever it went. Amazed by the kung-fu masters’ incredible feats, audiences including the West Point Military Academy viewed displays they thought possible ‘only in stunt movies’.  

Most of the performers of the current cast are in their twenties; however, they have already made astonishing achievements in martial arts. With almost no exception, they began their hard martial training at the age of 3 or 4.

The production details the journey of a young warrior, from initiation into the monastery to achieving fully fledged warrior status. The training necessary in order to become a Shaolin Warrior is most definitely not for the feint hearted. A typical day for a young warrior includes waking up at 5am in order to complete a full 6 hours training alongside compulsory meditation and relaxation. While on tour the Warriors continue both their mental and physical training as they believe mental strength to be vital to a successful performance. 

Most of the warriors grew up in poor rural families in Henan and Shandong Provinces. Known as the heartland of Chinese martial arts, their lives read like a traditional strength throughout adversity story. Encouraged by their parents who hoped that hard training would lift them far from their humble beginnings, the warriors were catapulted into success due to the rise in popular Kung-Fu films starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chen, and Jet Lee.

Throughout his history of touring with Shaolin, dramatic changes in China have impacted on Chen’s mind. During tours to North America and Australia, he noticed the difference of cultures and traditions whilst in the meantime noticed the similarities of the human condition regardless of wealth and social positioning.

Whilst happy to find so many Kung-Fu fans throughout the tours, Chen has sadly found that Chinese martial arts, despite its much longer history, is not as popular as Japanese Karate and Korean Taekwondo. Chen now dreams of opening a Chinese martial arts school to promote Kung-Fu and its inner culture across the world.