May 2017 News

SPECIAL EVENTS/

Silver Spring Fiesta Asia Street Festival- Sunday May 7- 9am- 6 PM-Downtown SS- Update- UNFORTUNATELY CANCELED

Asian Heritage Festival- Saturday May 20, 2017 – 11 am -7 Pm-  WDC- UNFORTUNATELY CANCELED

CLOSED Monday May 29th for Memorial Day

TIEN SHAN PAI LEGACY TOURNAMENT

          Judges Paul Ramos and Eric Putney participated in the tournament along side competitors Kenneth Traeger, Rodney Schmidt and Andrea Koo. Linda Krakauer also attended to observe and take pictures.                                                                                                                 Both Kenneth and Rodney competed for the first time and entered the beginner Yang Tai Chi empty hand division. They both did very well with Rodney finishing just out of medal contention.  Andrea competed in Advanced Yang Tai Chi empty hand and sword form, as well as performing Bagua in the Other Internal division. She earned a bronze in Sword and took gold in both advanced Yang and advanced Other Internal divisions.                                                                                                                                                         The event began with a Masters Demonstration where Paul Ramos demonstrated Liu He Ba Fa (6 Harmony, 8 method fist) as part of an all internal martial arts display. The tournament was well organized with a good number of competitors and well qualified judges.  We look forward to participating in next years’ event.

Rodney- Tai Chi form

Kenneth- Yang Tai Chi

Andrea - Tai Chi Sword

 WORLD TAI CHI DAY

As is our custom we celebrated World Tai Chi and Qigong Day again this year. This annual event has taken place since 1999 and we have joined the international community in having free Tai Chi since the very first year.   At 8:30 am we met at the Takoma Park Gazebo where about a dozen students practiced and worked their empty hand forms as well as some push hands basics. We returned to the DX about 10 am to do some free style push hands and to train in the internal self-defense class.               

The Tai ji Festival was also held that day at Cabin John Park at the David Chen Memorial Tai Chi Court. Demonstrations started at about 1 pm and lasted for a couple of hours. Several mini- workshops took place at pavilions in the vicinity.  It was a very warm and humid day but there was much to see and many talented and appreciative teachers, students, and spectators there who seemed to enjoy the festivities.     

WU SHEN TAO 3RD ANNUAL PICNIC             

We are looking to have this year’s picnic at our usual place in Silver Spring at the Indian Springs Recreation area. It will most likely be arranged for the last weekend in June.

We normally invite friends, families, students and teachers from the area to attend and join us for food, demos, games, and impromptu live music performed by the attendees. There is usually a push hands group, a discussion group, and a play area nearby for children to climb and run around in. There is an indoor facility with bathrooms and a kitchenette and open areas outside for cooking, playing, and enjoying the weather. It is always a lot of fun and we encourage you to keep the last weekend in June available to come join us.  We will update this newsletter during this month with the final particulars

  UPCOMING EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS       

Wu Shen Tao will be performing demos and two local Street Festivals this month. They are the Silver Spring Fiesta Asia Street Fest which takes place in downtown Silver Spring between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Streets this year on Sunday May 7th from 9 AM -6 PM.  We will participate by showing Kids and Adult Kung Fu to the crowds who attend.                                                                      

The next event will be the Asian Heritage Festival Street Fair which is held in WDC between 3rd and 6th Street NW on Saturday May 20th. The time of the event is 11 Am -7 PM.- UPDATE-UNFORTUNATELY CANCELED THIS YEAR!

Both of these events display the variety of dance, culture, martial art and foods of the various Asian peoples. There are many vendors selling all sorts of foods, crafts, clothing, and other interesting goods. These are fun events and although we have not yet been given the times that we are to demonstrate we look forward to these events each year. We will update this post when we know which times we will be performing.

Other events we will participate in are:

Wu Shen Tao Picnic- date TBA in June                                                                                            

Kuoshu Championships- July 29-31, at the Hunt Valley Marriott                                                      

Capitol Classics/ China Open -August 5 2017 at the Gaylord Hotel, National Harbor                    

Chris Pei Tournament- October Gaithersburg Marriott

MAY SWORDPLAY CLASS

This month’s swordplay class will take place on Monday May 15th, 2017 from 7:30-9PM.  Please plan to bring eye protection (and groin protection as necessary).

 NEW WEB SITE UP- PLEASE SIGN IN!

 Our newly designed web site is up and running at present. Although most of the information has been set up; small additions to text, video, and pictures will be added to make the school’s curriculum and goals more accessible.  New elements to the site include a sign up contact page for those wanting to receive our newsletters and announcements, we’ve also added more videos to give examples of the various arts that we teach. Schedules of our Takoma Park as well as our Gaithersburg locations are now online.          We plan to get the members only page set up soon. This page will allow members access to areas of the site where one may find articles, videos and archival information concerning the programs taught as well as historical information related to internal martial arts.  We also plan to have online payment options available for those persons seeking to sign up for introductory classes, or to buy uniforms, books, or to pay for classes.   We also humbly accept suggestions as to how we may improve the site so that it may be easier and more usable to current and future members. 

FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

QUOTES OF THE MONTH

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

-American proverb

Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours.

-Swedish Proverb

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

-Robert Collier

April 2017 News

SPECIAL EVENTS/

Tien Shan Pai Legacy Tournament – Saturday Apri; 22, 2017 10 AM -5 Pm

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day- Saturday April 29, 20178:30-9:30 am

Silver Spring Fiesta Asia Street Festival- Sunday May 7- 9am- 6 PM-Downtown SS

Asian Heritage Festival- Saturday May 20, 2017 – 11 am -7 Pm-  WDC

TIEN SHAN PAI LEGACY TOURNAMENT

This, by invitation only event will take place on Saturday April 22nd, beginning at 10 am, in Timonium MD. Previously this event only eligible for students of the Tien Shan Pai lineage but they have invited a few schools outside of the system to expand the event. There will be kids and adult Shaolin Kung Fu divisions as well as Tai Chi, Xing-I, Bagua empty hand and weapons division and Pushing Hands. I would like to have several of our students compete to gain practice at this smaller and less formal event. It is also a good tune up for the qualifier for the Kuoshu World Championships to be held near Baltimore the last weekend in July.

Let Paul know if you plan to attend so that he can make sure your event(s) are up to snuff.  Online registration is available by going to http://www.tienshanpai.org/ by April 15, 2017. Registration is available at the door but a bit more expensive beyond the first event.

APRIL SWORD PLAY CLASS

Swordplay class will take place on Wednesday April 12 from 7:30-9 PM. Please bring a foam or wooden sword, eye protection, and perhaps groin protection. See you there.

WORLD TAI CHI DAY

As is our custom we will be celebrating World Tai Chi and Qigong Day again this year. This annual event has taken place since 1999 and we have joined the international community in having free Tai Chi since the very first year.                                                                                           Feel free to invite your friends and acquaintances to join us on Saturday April 29th from 8:30-9:30 am. If the weather is good we meet up at the Takoma Park Gazebo and have class outdoors. We may have the Tai Chi Push hands and self- defense classes there also if the weather permits. Join us and we will hopefully enjoy some good weather, fresh air, and good Tai Chi.  The Gazebo is located at the corner of Carrol Ave and Westmoreland Ave., about 3 blocks from the school.

NEW WEB SITE UP- PLEASE SIGN IN!

 Our newly designed web site is up and running at present. Although most of the information has been set up; small additions to text, video, and pictures will be added to make the school’s curriculum and goals more accessible.  New elements to the site include a sign up contact page for those wanting to receive our newsletters and announcements, we’ve also added more videos to give examples of the various arts that we teach. Schedules of our Takoma Park as well as our Gaithersburg locations are now online.                                                                                                                                                   We plan to get the members only page set up soon. This page will allow members access to areas of the site where one may find articles, videos and archival information concerning the programs taught as well as historical information related to internal martial arts.                                                                                                                                                                                  We also plan to have online payment options available for those persons seeking to sign up for introductory classes, or to buy uniforms, books, or to pay for classes.  We also humbly accept suggestions as to how we may improve the site so that it may be easier and more usable to current and future members. 

 FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

 QUOTES OF THE MONTH

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

-Peter Drucker

Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.

-Chinese Proverb

Happy are those who dream the dream and are ready to pay the price to make them true.

-Leon J. Suenes

March 2017 News

Internal Push Sword / Sword Sparring Workshop

Paul Ramos conducted a 4 hour workshop on the fundamentals of Push Sword and Combat Sword Play on Sunday February 12, 2017.  A capacity crowd filled the training hall at the DX Center in Takoma Park.  Teachers, students, and newcomers attended the intensive sessions that spanned sword basics, hand drills, two man drills, evasion and cutting drills followed by about an hour of free push sword play. Then we added additional hand drills, line drills, reciprocating body attack and defense drills, and point control drills, followed by about an hour of free style combat sword play bouts. The bouts were broken into 3 minute rounds while participants rotated through all the other participants in the room. By the end of the workshop a tired but excited group of swordspersons all stated their enjoyment and appreciation of the skills covered.

Inclement Weather Policy

 Although thus far this has been a mild and warmer than usual Winter there is still almost 2 months left of possible wintry weather.  We again wish to remind everyone that when Montgomery County schools are closed due to bad weather- we are also closed. Call 301 651-3617 if there are any questions or if the weather clears up and you wish to make sure that classes will not take place. Also remember to stay home and allow yourself time to be well if you are feeling ill.  We like to share information and skill but we do not need to share the flu or other communicable illnesses.

New Website Setup - Please Sign In!

Our newly designed web site is up and running. Although most of the information has been set up; small additions to text, video, and pictures will be added to make the school’s curriculum and goals more accessible.  Sign up for our mailing list on the contact page to receive our newsletters and announcements. We’ve also added more videos to give examples of the various arts that we teach. You can also find our Takoma Park and Gaithersburg class schedules online, here.

We plan to get the members only page set up soon. This page will allow members to access articles, videos and archival information concerning the programs taught, as well as historical information related to internal martial arts. We also plan to have online payment options available soon to sign up for introductory classes, pay for class, or buy uniforms and books. Got any suggestions for how we might improve the site? Let us know!

Daytime Class Schedule

Daytime classes take place from 12 noon to 1 PM on Mondays and Thursdays. All subjects  taught in the evenings will also be taught at these times.. This schedule will continue through 2017. Watch this news page or check schedule page for updates or changes.

Free Community Push Hands

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (23 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

Quotes of the Month

To have joy, one must share it. Happiness was born a twin.

-Lord Byron

It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity, and the responsibility of the individuals to contribute (to the cause).

-William Pollard

The secret for success in life is for a man (or woman) to be ready for their opportunity when it comes.

- Benjamin Disreali

February 2017 News

Closings / Events

No Classes - Monday February 20th, 2017 - Presidents Day

Push Sword / Sword Sparring Workshop - February 12, 11am-3pm at Dance Exchange

Yang Tai Chi Applications Workshop a Success!

Sifu Paul Ramos conducted a Yang Tai Chi Application Workshop on Sunday January 15, 2017. The capacity crowd was very enthusiastic as they explored the 8 methods of Tai Chi and many of the variations of which produce all of the postures of the Yang style long form. The 4 hour intensive seemed to fly by as the students paired off and worked several postures/ applications of the energies represented by Ward Off, Roll Back, Press, Push, Pull Down, Split/ Separate, Elbow Stroke, and Shoulder Stroke. These strategies produce all of the 40+ separately named postures of the long Yang set. Before we knew it the 4 hour time schedule was completed. Many positive responses were articulated and several stated that they would return for the Sword intensive this month on February 12th.

Fundamentals of Internal Push Sword and Sword Sparring

Paul Ramos will conduct a 4 hour workshop on the fundamentals of Push Sword and Combat Sword Play on Sunday February 12, 2017.  This intensive will cover fundamentals with much time devoted to free sparring in Push Sword as well as Sword Sparring. Interested individuals should bring a wooden or foam sword, and eye protection is mandatory for those who perform the free sparring for the final portion of training. Although target areas will be limited and we will only sword spar at a light to medium level of impact, groin protection and headgear / chest gear may also be worn during this part of the workshop.

It will take place at The Dance Exchange located at 7117 Maple Avenue. Takoma Park MD 20912. The time frame is 11-3 pm and the cost is $100 pre-reserved/ paid before February 1, 2017 and $120 at the door. Call Paul Ramos at 301-651-3617 to reserve your spot. No experience is necessary although having some sword experience will make learning easier. Bring a snack for the short break which will occur during mid- workshop. Space is limited to the first 12 participants who reserve their spaces.

Year of the Rooster Luncheon

January 28th was the official start of the Chinese New Year observance of Year of the Fire Rooster.  Wu Shen Tao hosted a lunch at Teppanyaki Asian Grill and Supreme Buffet located in Rockville, MD. About 20 teachers and students attended and lively conversations prevailed while everyone enjoyed the massive selection and delectable food offered for the holiday. Below is a short write up for our Rooster friends.

Roosters (born 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2015), are said to be active, amusing, talkative, honest and loyal. They like to be the center of attention and may get irritated if others aren’t listening to them. Their unlucky color is red and their unlucky numbers are 1, 3, and 9. All animal signs need to be careful during their year because there is an over-abundance of their energy which creates imbalances- so be alert.

Inclement Weather Policy - Revisited

We again wish to remind everyone that when Montgomery County schools are closed due to bad weather- we are also closed. Call 301 651-3617 if there are any questions or if the weather clears up and you wish to make sure that classes will not take place. Also remember to stay home and allow yourself time to be well if you are feeling ill.  We like to share information and skill but we do not need to share the flu or other communicable illnesses.

February - Share Health and Wellness Month

We invite all students and friends to spread the gift of health and wellness by inviting friends and family members to come in during the first 2 weeks of January to work out with us as our New Years’ complementary gift for their continued support and hard work. Guests may attend any program and may do so for any available classes between January 2 and January 14th. The referring members will assist in their guests training and it should be fun and informative for all concerned. Contact Paul for any questions and concerns.

Clear Circle Center, Our Location in Gaithersburg

Our second location, the Clear Circle Holistic Training Centeris open at 208 Main St., Kentlands, MD. This studio hosts private and small group classes in Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong, Swordplay, and other internal martial art training programs. This location will also be the site for the Martial Arts Professional Training Course. It is the sister school to the Wu Shen Tao Health and Martial Arts Center, teaching some of the same topics but adding more private/ small group and instructor’s training courses.

The Clear Circle Holistic Training Center’s initial two programs:

The first begins with either Tai Chi Chuan, Swordplay, and/or Qigong.  Those wishing to improve the condition and health of their inner as well as outer bodies and minds would benefit the most from this training. All aspects of these arts may be covered.

The second program is a Martial Arts Professional Program aimed at those persons wishing to make martial arts a career or for those wishing to teach in some capacity. This program focuses on knowing the how’s and the why’s of health or martial disciplines, as well as knowing how to effectively market and maintain a viable training center. This program offers various levels of teaching certification ranging from basic one- subject teaching credentials up to opening and running one’s own multi-faceted Health and Martial Arts Center.

If you have questions or require more information, Paul Ramos may be contacted at longmen987@gmail.com or through our web site Taichimartialartsandhealth.com, or, by calling 301-651-3617.

Pants and Shirts In

An order of T-Shirts, Sweatshirts and custom made Kung Fu pants are available. Prices are $20 for T-shirts, $30 for Sweatshirts, and $50 each for the Custom Made Kung Fu pants. Those who pre-ordered pants will receive their items prior to the remaining pants sales. For shirts add $3 for XXL sizes. Tell Paul or an instructor if you need any of these items.

Day Time Class Schedule

Daytime classes take place from 12 noon to 1 PM on Mondays and Thursdays. All subjects taught in the evenings will also be taught at these times.. This schedule will continue through 2017. Watch this news page or check schedule page for updates or changes.

Community Push Hands

Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (23 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD.  It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions.  The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM.  Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.

Quotes of the Month

Take calculated risks. That is quite different from being rash.

-George S. Patton

Energy and persistence conquer all things.

-Benjamin Franklin

Success is a journey; not a destination.

-Ben Sweetland