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Feature: Traditional arts liven up physical education classes

Physically demanding traditional arts are finding their place in school athletic programs. Teachers say that activities such as performing dragon dances and practicing diabolo spinning are ways to get students excited about fitness while participating in a culturally meaningful activity.

"Students love the performance aspect of the dragon dance," said Wang Yao-te (王耀德) of Gongliao Elementary School in Taipei County.

"They push themselves really hard so that our routine will impress the audience. Our group had the opportunity to perform in front of the presidential residence last year," Wang said.

Wang said a lot of hard work went into making the dragon seem to effortlessly frolic on the stage.

"We start with basic fitness training because dragon dancing takes both strength and aerobic stamina," Wang said.

Students start their basic training towards the end of the fourth grade and start dragon dancing in the fifth and sixth grades.

Although only boys do dragon dancing, girls are encouraged to participate in flag dancing and as part of the drumming troupe, he said.

"Dragon dancing is now a part of our school's culture," Wang said. "Newly arrived students are greeted by a dragon dancing and flag dancing performance."

"We also teach students about the history and cultural significance of dragon dances along with other traditional arts in our module on cultural history," he said. "By the time we start recruiting in fourth grade, many students are eager to join up."

The Genliao school is not the only school using traditional arts as physical education.

Hualien's tiny Kang-le elementary has only 97 kids, roughly a third of which are on the diabolo team.

"So many kids that might not enjoy physical education classes love the diabolo, said the school's sports director, Su Han-bin (蘇漢彬). "Kids that are smaller or not as strong can still reach a very high level because it takes skill and dexterity rather than brawn."

The diabolo is an hourglass-shaped wooden toy that is balanced on a piece of string. Like a yo-yo, the spinning diabolo can be made to do a wide range of tricks.

Unlike the yo-yo, the diabolo can leave its string, allowing for sophisticated moves involving tossing it into the air and catching it.

"Kids love showing off," Su said.

"They run around a track voluntarily because I told them that if they improve their cardiovascular fitness they'll be more likely to perform sophisticated [Diabolo] moves correctly," Su said.

Su said he has chosen not to have diabolo competitions at the school because he wants all the children to feel included.

"As soon as you introduce competition, you add pressure," Su said, "it ceases to be fun for a lot of kids."

"I've seen a difference in so many kids who might not be stars in the classroom who find self-confidence in dragon dancing," Wang said.

"It's a different arena for kids to express themselves in. That self-confidence is an important part of what our school is trying to achieve," Wang said.
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