The New York School of T’ai Chi Chuan & The T’ai Chi Foundation
At the request of Professor Cheng Man-Ch’ing, the School of T’ai Chi Chuan was founded in 1976 by one of his senior students, Patrick Watson.
Tai Chi in the News
Link to a variety of articles published on T’ai Chi!
The School of T’ai Chi Chuan now exists as a network of more than 20 teaching locations around the world, all under the auspices of the non-profit organization, the T’ai Chi Foundation, carrying on Professor Cheng’s tradition of keeping alive the lineage of Yang Family T’ai Chi taught to him by his teacher, Yang Cheng-Fu. Programs offered include both public instruction and teacher training.
The clarity of our teaching method emphasizes the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of Form, Push Hands, and Sword practice.
The New York School of T’ai Chi Chuan is the New York affiliate of the T’ai Chi Foundation and is an independent nonprofit educational corporation.
Why Us – The New York School of T’ai Chi Chuan
The New York School of Tai Chi Chuan presents the best in T’ai Chi instruction. We have been teaching for over 45 years, preserving the lineage and tradition of this ancient art, while presenting it in a unique, modern, easy-to-learn method. For a sampling of our instructors’ wide range of experience offering T’ai Chi and Qi Gong to a broad spectrum of organizations around New York, click here.
The hallmark of our school is team teaching. Our method of team teaching provides our students with a setting where the emphasis is on the clarity of the work. When two or more of our instructors work together in a single class, the students always have one instructor’s movements to follow while another instructor helps guide the class and follow up on the specific needs of the group. Team teaching is also our approach to avoiding the distraction of an ego trip, a potential drawback in a school run by a single teacher.
As a teaching school, NYSTCC prepares and certifies its instructors through ongoing apprenticeships, starting with intensive trainings held each year by the T’ai Chi Foundation. This program of apprenticeships develops both precision in demonstrating the T’ai Chi form and a thorough grounding in the application of principles of T’ai Chi for health and well-being. Continued study helps instructors maintain high standards of teaching, as well as consistency in method: students can study at any of our affiliated T’ai Chi Schools and still receive the same careful attention to the principles and details of the art.
Following an older model of T’ai Chi history, many of our instructors might have branched out as teachers starting their own schools. But by continuing to work together, our school gains much strength from the unity and shared goals of our instructors. This unity helps us preserve T’ai Chi as a living art while providing a bedrock for consistent growth into the future, serving humankind through the study and practice of T’ai Chi Chuan.
Some Comments From Our Students
“I study at the NY School of T’ai Chi Chuan. As I learn and practice more, I feel the life energy move through blocked areas, bringing me increased stability, focus and strength. My mind is clearer, my body is enlivened and I feel a deeper sense of well-being. My commitment to it is to enjoy and extend my life. …Best T’ai Chi teachers you’ll find anywhere. Try this and feel good!”
— Robin Wilson
“I have been taking Tai Chi for almost a year. During that time, I have experienced numerous benefits and am very happy with the results. The reason I began taking Tai Chi was to help improve my balance and deal with stress. When I began taking Tai Chi, I was no stranger to Eastern practices and had been doing yoga and meditating for years. Tai Chi struck me as beautiful to watch and it was readily apparent that to do it well required gracefulness. However, I must admit that I did not see many other physical benefits. My misconception regarding this was proved wrong almost immediately. In terms of my health, I have had arthritis in my upper back for several years and it was with this condition that I immediately experienced Tai Chi’s benefits. My shoulders began to make cracking-like noises that were immediately followed by waves of relief. As classes progress, the instructor began to introduce Chi Gong exercises. These exercises seemed more subtle than yoga poses. However, that is not to say that they were any less effective. The flow of motion that was required seemed to produce a state of physical soothing that was akin to what I felt after an extended meditation. In particular, my hips felt more relaxed and I noticed increased mobility in that area. I truly appreciated the benefits Tai Chi has provided and look forward to what hopefully will prove a long and fruitful endeavor.”
— Thomas Flynn
“I first learned T’ai Chi from the New York School of T’ai Chi Chuan and have been practicing for over ten years. T’ai Chi has had positive effects on almost every aspect of my life. Physically, T’ai Chi practice has reduced long-standing stress injuries and given me better balance and grace. But perhaps more importantly, the practice of T’ai Chi taught me lessons of patience, relaxation, and awareness that I carry into all of my interactions. I can’t thank the teachers of the school enough for introducing me to my practice and giving me such a powerful tool for all of the stresses of my life.”
— Nick