CURRICULUM
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Chen Pan Ling T'ai Chi Ch'uan Long Form
The Chen Pan Ling style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan is a composite of the Yang, Wu, and Chen styles. It was developed by a World War II era committee of top martial artists commissioned by the Chinese Nationalist Government. Chiefly promoted by Chen Pan Ling, this style has been recognized with his name.
This style of T'ai Chi has borrowed several elements from other styles making it a more energetic form by utilizing a greater range of motion of the body. It promotes health and relaxation, as well as the connections that make T'ai Chi an internal martial art. Warm up exercises may include stretches, Qigong. The Chen Pan Ling 99 posture long form is suitable for all student levels. Chen Pan Ling’s Taiji Sword form may be included if time and circumstance permits.
Chen Pan Ling Legacy Arts 1–Fundamentals of Bagua and XingI
Introduction to Chen Pan Ling’s Swimming Dragon Ba Gua and XingI. We will learn the Eight Palm Changes of Bagua and the Five Elements of XingI, as taught by Chen Pan Ling’s son and heir, GM Chen Yun Ching. Both arts strengthen legs and improve balance and footwork.Warm up exercises may include stretches, Qigong. This class is for Intermediate level and ability, but is open to all.
Chen Pan Ling Legacy Arts 2 – External Forms
Students will learn and practice the four external hand forms taught by GM Chen Yun Ching. These include Chen Pan Ling’s own Mountaintop Boxing 1 and 2, and Shaolin’s Crouching Tiger and Tiger Crane Forms. This energetic external training provides a balance to the internal training of the traditional arts taught by GM Chen Yun Ching, It can be described as “cardio-kung fu” as it is a great way to work your whole body, stay in shape and continue to improve so that you don’t lose strength in old age. This class is for Intermediate level and ability, but is open to all.
Chen Pan Ling Legacy Arts
Review of the Chen Pan Ling Arts, including Taijiquan, Bagua, XingI, External forms
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Great Grandmaster William C. C. Chen Yang Style Forms.
T’ai Chi has been noted as having many wonderful health and healing properties, and Grandmaster Chen’s internationally known 60 Movement form has been in the forefront in these areas for many years, providing people with access to not only health and healing, but improved body function and mental and physical unity.
Grandmaster Chen’s short form contains 60 movements. These movements provide people with the necessary motions, movements, and connections that will help people to gain insights and experience involving the relaxed aspects that make T’ai Chi Ch’uan a powerful art that focuses on function as well as physical and mental health.
For ease of student learning, at the Center, we teach the Short Form in two separate classes. The first class involves movements (postures) 1-20 for those who are starting into T’ai Chi. The second class includes movements (postures) 1-20 and adds movements (postures) 21-60 to complete the form. There are a number of 1-20 and 1-60 class times available.
Grandmaster William C.C. Chen Yang Style 1-20 Posture Class
This introductory class is for students to learn the first 20 postures of Wm CC Chen’s Short Form. There is a 15-minute warmup that includes Liangong (body conditioning) exercises. The 10-week course covers the 20 postures in eight weeks with two weeks for review and refinement. Typically, this class is taken more than once in order to build a good foundation in the T’ai Chi principles.
Grandmaster William C.C. Chen Yang Style 1-60 Posture Class
After becoming familiar with the first 20 postures students can enroll in the 1-60 class. Again, there is a general 15-minute Liangong (body conditioning) warmup period. The next 40 postures are taught over a nine-week period with the final week for review. There are about 20 new postures to learn and the others are repeats.
In both classes, some martial aspects are considered, but more effective movement, gentle exercise, and relaxation is the primary focus.
Grandmaster William C.C. Chen Yang Style Long Form - 132 postures
The Yang Style Long Form preceded Great Grandmaster William Chen’s Short Form 1-60. Familiar postures are repeated, some right and left, and the sequence changes. Several other traditional postures are introduced.
This is for students who have completed Great Grandmaster Chen’s 1-60 Form and are looking to expand their practice.
In Addition:
The Tai Chi Ch’uan center offers classes in Exploration, Refinement, Sword, and Function.
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Exploring Function in Tai Chi Chuan
This is a class in the application of T'ai Chi Ch'uan in a non-threatening manner. Two people work together to explore the movements which help the body, mind, and spirit, as well as gain insight into the martial aspect of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Students of other T'ai Chi styles are welcome to this class. It is insightful when different styles meet.
Peter Ralston Taiji sets – 64 postures and mini-set.
This is to learn Peter Ralston’s 64 set and his mini set. The emphasis is on applying his 7 posture points and 5 principles to move in an effective and effortless manner.
Sword forms by Grandmaster William C.C. Chen and Peter Ralston.
This class is for students who can perform a Taiji set, such as William Chen’s short or long form, Chen Pan Ling form, 24 posture Simplified form. We integrate movement principles to explore how to internalize the martial applications.
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Qigong
The cultivation of life-force energy is emphasized in the new class “Internals: Taiji and qigong for internal cultivation” and is a continuation and deepening of the Qigong and Refinements classes taught by Master Kathy Gill. The wide range of practices which promote health and well-being that are included in this series are: William C.C. Chen’s taiji quan, the qigong styles of Grandmasters Kenneth Cohen and Yang Yang and selections from Sifus Robert Peng and Daisy Lee, all of whom continue to train the instructor. While this class is open to beginners, knowledge of the taiji form and its principles would be helpful while the other forms will be taught and practiced in-session. Each class begins with a stillness meditation. We regularly include the oldest known qigong, the Taoist Animal Frolics, and selections vary by season.
Liangong
RTCCC has used the 18 exercises of Series 1 of the Liangong health system for many years as a warm-up during tai chi classes. This class combines refinement of the Series 1 exercises with exploration of the additional exercises in Liangong Series 2 and 3. Proper form, the specific Liangong breathing technique, the coordination of movement and breathing, and the development of ‘internal stretch’ will be emphasized.
Exploring Swimming Dragon
This beautiful form gently stretches your full body, strengthens your legs and promotes suppleness through your spine. Balance, flexibility and longevity are often used to describe its benefits. Swimming Dragon Qigong was first introduced beyond family members by Grandmaster Yu Anren, the 12th lineage holder. It comes to RTCCC through his long-time disciple Liping Zhu, who was directed by Grandmaster Yu to introduce it to the United States.
This qigong set requires prior knowledge of Tai Chi principles. Previous practice with slow, smooth motion and weight transfer in any style will allow mastery of this beautiful form.
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Simplified 24 Posture Tai Chi Form
This simplified form of tai chi is an exercise to give the beginner an introduction to the essential elements of tai chi, yet retain the traditional flavor of traditional longer hand forms. The 24 Posture Form of Tai Chi was based upon the Traditional Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan, and is also known as the Beijing 24 Form or the Yang 24 Simplified Form. In 1956 Chu Guiting, Cai Longyun, Fu Zhongwen, and Zhang Yu were commissioned by the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Education Union to condense and simplify Yang Style Grand Ultimate Fist.
Sun T'ai Chi Ch'uan
The Traditional Sun style long form as passed down to us by Tim Cartmell, taught to him by Sun Lu Tang’s daughter, Sun Jian Yun.
Taiji for Meditation
We will use the Center’s own Four/Eight Direction Form and Master Da Liu’s modified Yang style Taijiquan Form with their gentle flowing movements, deep breathing and relaxed awareness, to quiet the body and mind, to reduce distraction, and to balance inner and outer awareness. Principles will also be covered to refine the Forms and develop the internal aspects.
The Forms will be vehicles for “mindfulness in motion” in order to achieve a calm meditative spirit, good health, and longevity. Warm up exercises may include stretches, Qigong. This class is for Intermediate level and ability, but is open to all. Da Liu’s Taiji Sword form may be included if time and circumstance permits.
Review and Refinement of Forms
We will review and refine: 4/8 Directions, 24 Posture Simplified, Da Liu’s Yang style, and Traditional Sun Long Form. This class is for those of Intermediate level and is open to those who know or are learning any of these Taiji Forms. Warm up exercises may include 18 Taiji Qigong(Shibashi) and Liangong.
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Workshops
The Center also offers regular workshops with our own certified instructors in the pursuit of excellence in the art of T'ai Chi and other internal arts.
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