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Translated literally from Chinese to English, kung fu means skill acquired through hard work.

That's a fitting description for presentations that Chinese martial arts teacher Lucas Geller recently gave to Niskayuna High School Chinese classes earlier this month.

Geller described how his passion for martial arts from a young age led to multiple visits to China to study martial arts, Chinese language, literature, culture, and international relations.

The presentation, held in the school's wrestling gym, also included a martial arts demonstration and an opportunity for students to try some movements of their own.

A native of Columbia County, Geller first went to China in his teens with his martial arts teacher at the time. He returned over the years as a graduate student and as he continued to further his mastery of Chinese martial arts. After some time working for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., Geller returned to the area and now runs the Chinese Martial Arts Academy in Albany.

While his presentation to students included anecdotes from his time in China and experiences bridging the cultural divide between the United States and emergent superpower, he focused on a broader message:

"The further you go with your education, the more you can tailor it to your interests," Geller said. "The more passionate you are about what you do, the more people will help you along the way."

He talked about extensive training under masters of traditional Chinese martial arts in the country's cities and remote areas, and of studying culture, history, and global relations at a time of great change for China. He described a nation that was balancing its embrace of modernity and economic growth with a deep connection to ancient traditions.

At the Chinese Martial Arts Academy, Geller works with young children to senior citizens whose interests range from the combat side of martial arts to healing and meditative practices such as Tai Chi.

"It is really dynamic working with all sorts of people who benefit from Chinese martial arts," he said.

The students Geller presented to are the first in Niskayuna to study Chinese. The district is the recipient of a U.S. State Department grant to host the Mandarin Chinese program coordinated through the department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The program comes at no cost to the district. The classes are taught by Caiping Fan, an exchange teacher from Shanxi Province who arrived in Niskayuna in August 2011.