"marital" spelled badly

Went to the mall today. It felt really good to be out despite the weather. After entering Macy's, the entrance to the rest of the mall is nowhere to be found. Suddenly, calm Chinese music reaches my ears as I spot a crowd in front. Peering over other people's heads, I see three men and one woman doing a taichi routine (or something like it) to the music. Wearing black martial arts uniforms with red and blue trim, they exhibit the perfect blend of grace and strength.

Turns out that they are performing right in front of the entrance, and crowded around it are people watching. As their presentation ends amidst applause, a faster tune starts playing, and two little kids (a boy and a girl) approach the floor and do their own routine, and thunderous applause await them at the end. By this time, the music has changed into more of a hip-hop vibe, and numerous other youngsters come out to show off their martial arts talents. Occasionally, I hear cries of "Ya!" and "Hoi!" from them while their toes slap against their outstretched hands.

Some memorable routines included two girls who made martial arts look like dance, two students who modeled a fight scenario, and someone more advanced who let us see how he channeled all his qi in order to bust moves akin to Jet Li.

Happy Chinese New Year!