| The "YMAA 25-Year Anniversary" DVD | | | | Disk one includes the bio of Dr. Yang, school |
| compilation is a fascinating look at Dr. Yang's life | | | | demos and Taste of China demos from 1983, |
| and the progression of YMAA as it materialized | | | | 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, |
| from a distant dream into an international martial | | | | 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, |
| arts community and network. This tribute DVD | | | | demonstrations from the 1994 China tour, some |
| set is presented on two disks and contains video | | | | footage from the expansion of the Boston school |
| footage, photographs, and interviews. | | | | in 1991, documentary of YMAA from 2000, |
| The material includes a short bio of Dr. Yang and | | | | forms from 2000 YMAA summer camp - |
| an interview where he shares the motivation of | | | | Hungary. There are a lot of demonstrations on |
| wanting to preserve what his masters taught him, | | | | this DVD. Personally, I found the ones by Dr. Yang |
| and why he has written so much and why he has | | | | and some of the older masters the most |
| taught in so many DVDs. Then the program | | | | interesting, but I also enjoyed seeing some of Dr. |
| includes performances of solo and group kung fu | | | | Yang's younger students perform. There is a wide |
| and taiji sequences, demonstrations, and | | | | section of material covered in the demonstrations |
| interviews. Video footage includes Taijiquan, | | | | including many forms, various weapons, and even |
| Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Liuhebafa, Shaolin Long | | | | some self-defense applications being shown. |
| Fist, White Crane, and many weapons. | | | | Disk two picks up where the first disk stopped |
| The quality of the DVD is excellent as with all of | | | | with demos from the 2002 YMAA summer camp |
| the products I've received from YMAA. The | | | | - Hungary. There are then demos from the 2002 |
| DVDs have an easy menu system and also | | | | YMAA 20th year anniversary, 2002 YMAA |
| included is an eight page booklet that includes all of | | | | summer camp - South Africa, 2003 YMAA |
| the chapters presented on the DVDs. This guide | | | | summer camp - South Africa, 2004 summer |
| is very nice to have to assist in finding a particular | | | | camp - South Africa, 2005 YMAA summer camp |
| segment you wish to view. Some of the older | | | | - Portugal, 2006 YMAA summer camp - South |
| footage is just that, older. So the quality is not | | | | Africa, a 2007 interview with Dr. Yang and finally |
| the same as those that are filmed in YMAA | | | | a short piece from the 2008 Nicholas C. Yang |
| studios. Sometimes lines are present, lack of | | | | ceremony. Disk 2 also contains the standard |
| focus, lack of color, etc. But that is what you get | | | | YMAA extras, including video clips of other titles |
| from older video footage. | | | | and the YMAA catalog. |
| The great thing is to actually have that old | | | | If you like martial art demonstrations or if you |
| footage and get to see Dr. Yang and students of | | | | would like to see the history and progression of |
| his perform various demonstrations. They did an | | | | Dr. Yang and YMAA, you should check out this |
| excellent job of transferring that old footage to | | | | DVD. I really enjoyed watching it, seeing the older |
| the DVD to preserve it. So when I say the quality | | | | footage, and gaining some extra wisdom from Dr. |
| is excellent it refers to the way YMAA put all of | | | | Yang. I especially found his words during the final |
| the footage together and created menus to find | | | | segment of the 2008 Nicholas C. Yang ceremony |
| things. The various segments differ in that | | | | regarding when you age and what you do very |
| sometimes the camera is moving, focus, etc. It's | | | | poignant. Very interesting and entertaining tribute |
| not a studio video but a collection of many clips | | | | to YMAA's first 25 years! |
| from demos spanning the last 25 years. | | | | |