Translations
Connections is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, and German. We are very grateful for our translators who volunteered to translate: Cyntia S. Levy, Rubén Coirini, Daniela Famulari, Gennaro Ripa, Françoise Desagnat, Jean-Claude Miremont, and Thilo Krienke. Thank you very much! Here are the links to the other languages:
Welcome to Our New Members
I would like to welcome all new members who have recently joined our international association. Thank you for joining us and welcome to our tai chi family! I am happy you have chosen to join us and hope that you feel welcome and receive great value from your membership.
To all the new members from China who have recently joined our association, I want to thank you for joining us. I look forward to working together to help our association grow.
感谢最近加入国际杨氏太极拳协会的会员，我期盼着和你们一起帮助我们的国际杨氏太极拳协会成长.
I hope that all members will have a long and fulfilling relationship with our association. For those members who have been with us through the years, I appreciate that you have chosen to stay with us as we continue to spread tai chi chuan worldwide to help humankind.
Sincerely,
Grand Master Yang Jun
President
Grand Opening Kunming, China
On March 25, 2017, the grand opening of the new Kunming Center took place. This grand opening event was a great success. The new center represents three things: 1) The International Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association’s Asia-Pacific Affairs office. 2) A traditional Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan training base for Southwest China. A training base is a higher-level center that is able to host instructor training seminars and also acts as a center for regional management. 3) A new Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center - our first in China. The staff include: Center Director: Fang Hong; Office Manager: Han Xuebin; Instructor: Zheng Jingchong.
The morning began with a tai chi flash mob in the lobby of the Jinyuan Grand Hotel.
At the grand opening event, guests signed a large red signing wall. Photo: Grand Master Yang Jun's grandmother, Hu Rudi, adds her signature.
After speeches welcoming people to the grand opening, a number of performances took place. Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan students performed in colorful costumes.
Chinese students of Grand Master Yang Jun performed a dance which also included some tai chi chuan movements. The theme of the dance was about how when everyone paddles together, the boat moves - a theme about working together.
A group of Grand Master Yang Zhenduo's disciples performed in traditional Chinese outfits.
An international group of members from the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association performed a dance called Cha Cha Slide.
Grand Master Yang Zhenduo (age 92) and his wife flew over 3 hours to Kunming for the grand opening ceremony. He announced the opening of the new training base for Southwest China.
Grandmaster Yang Zhenduo created a calligraphy painting that read "Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Training Base". Grand Masters Yang Zhenduo and Yang Jun added their seals in red ink to the painting.
A total of ten VIP guests (witnesses) completed the painting by adding their seals in red ink. They include from left to right: Wen Qunbin, Zhao Youbin, Yu Gongbao, Liu Hongqi, Kang Gewu, Yang Zhenduo, Yang Zhifang, Sha Junjie, Yang Jun, and Fu Qingquan.
This painting is a symbol for our international association and will be used as a model to make copies carved into wood to hang in each training base we establish.
During the opening ceremony, Grand Master Yang Jun signed an agreement with writer and professor, Xu Fulu to write a Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Heroes List book. The book will include the biographies of Yang family members from every generation from past to present. The company I Love Tai Chi is sponsoring the publication of the book.
After the grand opening ceremony, everyone enjoyed lunch at the hotel.
Disciple Ceremony
Also on March 25, a disciple ceremony took place later in the day at the new Kunming Yang Chengfu Center and training base which is located in an office building that is part of a shopping complex. This was the first time that Grand Master Yang Jun received Chinese disciples.
Tai chi practitioners performed in a tai chi flash mob at the shopping center.
New Disciples
Congratulations to the new disciples!
Instructor Seminar - March 26-30, 2017 Kunming, China
An instructors seminar (the first seminar held at the new Kunming center) took place the day after the grand opening. Grand Master Yang Zhenduo and his wife, Hu Rudi, attended the party afterwards.
April 2017 TTM-1 Event
Teacher Training Methods (TTM) had a second successful training camp. This was a shorter two-day weekend session in Danbury designed to make it more convenient for students to earn TTM credits to satisfy the TTM credit requirements. Mari Lewis, Head Director, North American Teacher Academy Training Division, coordinated the event and it ran smoothly.
Master Han Hoong Wang was our guest instructor. She skillfully taught the movements of the Ten Movement Form and expanded upon the Ten Principles of Yang Chengfu. Holly Sweeney, TTM Co-Director, did her usual brilliant lectures pertaining to the connection between science and tai chi chuan, focusing on the biomechanics of relaxing the waist and the anatomy of the knee and the shoulder. Bill Walsh, TTM Co-Director, used creative problem-solving skills to explore the ideas associated with evaluation and form correction. Audi Peal led an insightful session providing the history and use of important Chinese words in studying tai chi chuan.
This program took place in Danbury, CT and we are now preparing another TTM October 6-8, 2017, which will also take place in Danbury. Focus will be on the ten movement form, pedagogy, and push hands. For more details, please contact Mari Lewis at: mari@yangfamilytaichi.com
VIEW MORE PHOTOS
Upcoming Ranking Events
June 10, 2017
Ranks 1-6
Winchester Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Winchester, VA USA
E-mail: pat@yangfamilytaichi.com
Website: www.shentaijiwushu.com
Phone: 540-247-2283
June 17, 2017
Ranks 1-3
Firenze (Florence) Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Firenze, FI, ITALY
E-mail: roberta@yangfamilytaichi.com
Website: taichi.firenze.it/en
Phone: +39 347 7309931
June 17-18
Ranks 1-3
Toulouse Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Toulouse, FRANCE
E-mail: thierryhuguet@taichitoulouse.fr
Website: www.taichitoulouse.fr
Phone: +33 675 038 283
June 18, 2017
Ranks 1-2
Madagascar Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Antananarivo, MADAGASCAR
E-mail: huguesraha@gmail.com
Website: www.taichimadagascar.com
Phone: +261321100530
July 2, 2017
Ranks 1-5
São Paulo Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
São Paulo, BRAZIL
E-mail: angelasoci@sbtcc.org.br
Webpage: www.sbtcc.org.br
Phone: +55 11 38848943
July 8, 2017
Ranks 1-3
Berlin Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Berlin, GERMANY
E-mail: johannes@yangfamilytaichi.com
Website: www.yangstil-taiji.de
Phone: +49 3034787871
September 30, 2017
Ranks 1-5
Manchester New Hampshire Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Manchester, NH, USA
E-mail: nhyangtaichi@comcast.net
Website: www.nhyangtaichi.com
October 1, 2017
Rank 1-4
Brazil Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center
Ribeirão Preto, BRAZIL
E-mail: fernando@yangfamilytaichi.com
Website: www.taichichuan.com.br
Phone: +55 16 39111236
Grand Master Yang Jun's Seminar Schedule
Shanghai, China Seminar February 24-26, 2017
Photos from Grand Master Yang Jun's hand form seminar in Shanghai, China. The seminar was hosted by Xin Wen.
Kunming, China Seminar, March 31 - April 2, 2017
A hand form seminar with Grand Master Yang Jun took place at the Kunming YCF Center at the end of March.
Paris, France Seminar April 7-13, 2017
In April, the Paris Yang Chengfu Center hosted a hand form seminar, push hands seminar, and sword seminar with Grand Master Yang Jun. Center Directors: Duc & Carole Nguyen Minh
Kiel, Germany Seminar April 15-18, 2017
Jens Ammermann and Thilo Krienke, Affiliated School Directors at two different schools in Kiel, Germany, organized a hand form and push hands seminar in Kiel with Grand Master Yang Jun.
Seattle/Redmond USA Seminar April 28-30, 2017
At the end of April, a hand form seminar with Grand Master Yang Jun was held at the Seattle/Redmond Yang Chengfu Center. The seminar was organized by Center Co-Director Nancy Lucero.
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day April 29, 2017
People from around the world celebrated World Tai Chi and Qigong Day on April 29. Here are some photos from our members:
Rosario, Argentina
The School of Tai Chi Chuan Wu De practiced in front of the National Flag Memorial with the Paraná River at our back. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful place. The city was calm and we enjoyed it very much.
Kiel, Germany
Our event took place in Hiroshima Park. The photo was taken by Sabine Krienke.
Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Our celebration took place at our school, Ribeirão Preto Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center- Brazil.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Members of Tai Chi Yukon celebrated by practicing at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre beside the Yukon River in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Michigan, USA
Michigan USA Yang Chengfu TCC Center celebrated World Tai Chi Day in Royal Oak, MI with demonstrations in hand form, two-person form, sword, saber, long staff, and two-person short staff. In the second half of our celebration, the audience was invited to participate in a Yang style 10 form workshop, led by Center Director Han Hoong Wang.
Milan, Italy
Members from Milan Yang Chengfu Center created a tai chi flash mob at the Piazza del Duomo, an important landmark in Milan, Italy.
Ranking Event Results Seattle/Redmond YCF Center
Back row left to right: Jo-Anne Gates, DD Hilke, Stephen Dilworth, Judy Stone-Goldsmith, Chuck Zhao
Front row left to right: Kelly Hong-Williams, Jenny Pastore, Ed Wan Missing: Cheryl Inouye, Sylvia Madsen
Congratulations to the ten students who passed their ranking exams on March 26 at the Seattle/Redmond Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Chuan Center:
Rank 1:
Judy Stone-Goldsmith, Jenny Pastore
Rank 2:
Ed Wan, Stephen Dilworth, Kelly Hong-Williams, Cheryl Inouye, Sylvia Madsen, Chuck Zhao
Rank 3:
D.D. Hilke, Jo-Anne Gates
Yang Family Tai Chi in Hello Health Festival - Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The 8th Hello Health Festival was organized in cooperation with Plovdiv Municipalities, Hello Health Foundation, and leading media companies in Plovdiv. There were more than 100 different events and activities all connected with healthy living. Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan was one of the very few martial arts in the festival.
More than 30 participants participated in the demonstration and lecture by Stanislav Bagalev, Affiliated School Director, and his students and instructors Marin Maznev, Dimitar Tonchev, and Maxim Iliev. Afterwards, there was an open lesson in Plovdiv's central park where people had the opportunity to join and practice. Promotional materials about the school were given to participants. Many people showed interest in tai chi chuan and that gave us even more motivation.
Corporate Training and Tai Chi Chuan
Rome, February 23th 2017
Studio di CdL “Casiglia e Ronzoni”
Via Arrigo D’Avila 37H
An experiential tai chi chuan lesson was used as a metaphor in corporate training to help people work effectively on their own and in relationship with others. These themes are a central part of tai chi chuan study.
Particularly, we worked on some Yang Chengfu principles and hand form movements to focus on the “individual aspect” (emotional balance, patience, concentration) and on physical contact with the others to focus on the “social aspect” (listening, flexibility, mindfulness). These two areas refer to Emotional Intelligence concepts that, according to a report presented at the 2016 World Economic Forum in Davos, will be one of the “Top Ten Skills” in 2020.
Roberto Carchio: Academy Intructor – Affiliated School Director at IYFTCCA – M.D. Acupuncturist at Scuola di Agopuntura Energetica e Tradizionale (S.A.E.T.)
Roberto Caire: Corporate Trainer – Outdoor Training Facilitator, Executive Coach – Silver Eagle at IYFTCCA
Push Hands Workshop in Kiel, Germany with Jens Ammermann
On July 9, 2017 (Sunday), the third 6-hour push hands workshop will take place at the affiliated school of Jens Ammermann in Kiel, Germany. The number of participants is limited. For more information, visit www.YangTaichi.de.
Summer Seminar in France - August 12-18, 2017
Deepen your tai chi practice and relax in a warm and friendly atmosphere this summer. Enjoy great food, the beauty of nature, and rich historical heritage in the heart of the beautiful and charming Dordogne Valley. A team of IYFTCCA certified instructors under the technical direction of Duc and Carole Nguyen Minh will lead the seminar. The program includes tai chi chuan, push hands, weapons, and qigong every day. One afternoon will be dedicated to canoeing on the Dordogne River.
This seminar is co-organized by the Paris Yang Chengfu Center and the Toulouse Yang Chengfu Center. Contact thierryhuguet@yangfamilytaichi.com for more information or visit the website.
Journal Gem
Journal Gem:
Gateway to the Internal: Zhan Zhuang. A Conversation about Standing Meditation with Master Yang Jun. Issue #30 (2012), pages 3-6. By Eric Madsen.
This article can be found in the members-only area of the association's website.
The members-only area of our website holds all past IYFTCCA journal issues dating back to 1999. Some have been translated into Portuguese and Spanish. Instructions for log-in to the members-only area and information about how to retrieve your username and password are on the website.
VISIT MEMBERS-ONLY AREA
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