With kinetic motions, hard percussive strikes and sweeping kicks, the Seattle Shaolin Kung Fu Academy brought the ruckus and celebrated six years in business in a big way with a performance on stage at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

On Sept. 9, more than 200 students and a group of Shaolin masters from China and beyond took to the stage to demonstrate their skill with the ancient martial art.

Sparring with weapons, demonstrating mental fortitude as they do painful acts and performing the animal forms (tiger, praying mantis, monkey, leopard and eagle), the Shaolin masters and students alike, made a performance that dazzled the crowd.

Some of the masters on stage demonstrated various animal styles, drunken form and the “power skills” known as qigong.

Shaolin Kung Fu was founded in 495 A.D. in the Henan province of China during the building of the Shaolin Temple – more than 1,500 years ago. The school that has provided the largest group of Kung Fu masters as well as of Kung Fu students at any one time during the long history of Chinese martial arts is Shaolin. Additionally, this showcase demonstrated the very essence and spirit of Shaolin: compassion, wisdom, peace and harmony.

City and area leaders joining in the festivities included King County Executive COO Mike Fong, city of Seattle Chief of Staff Fred Kiga, Congressman Adam Smith – who presented a recognition letter – District Representative Savio Pham, Bellevue Mayor John Stokes, and King County Councilwoman Claudia Balducci, who also presented a recognition letter.

The performance was held bilingually in English and Mandarin.