Translations (译文)
Connections is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Chinese. 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, Thilo Krienke, Huang Gang, Zhao Ruiyuan, and Yao Tiebin. Thank you very much! Here are the links to the other languages:
Welcome to Our New Members
© Photo by JR Haefeli
I would like to welcome all new members who have recently joined Yang Family Tai Chi. 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.
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,
Master Yang Jun
President
2019 International Tai Chi Chuan Symposium
The 2019 International Tai Chi Chuan Symposium on Health, Education and Cultural Exchange will take place May 25th to 29th in Selvino, Italy. Visit the symposium website for more information, including the Discover Italy Tour and booking hotels: www.taichisymposium.com.
REGISTER NOW
Registration is now available on the symposium website. Registrations received before February 15, 2019 will be eligible for a discounted fee. More information, can be found on the registration page.
PLEASE SHARE OUR VIDEO
The following video promotes the symposium: https://youtu.be/JLjQvWf01EM
We are grateful if you are willing to share it on your social media pages along with the symposium's website link (www.taichisymposium.com).
Follow the symposium on Facebook and Instagram. The symposium also publishes a news bulletin that is emailed to association members and can also be found on the symposium's website under "News Bulletins".
Supporting the Symposium
A PRECIOUS GIFT
Tai chi chuan is a Chinese treasure and precious gift. It has been passed on throughout centuries by many masters and teachers. We are fortunate and grateful to generations of masters who have shared the art. We recognize the incredible value we have gained from their teachings and in return, we pass this gift to our students, and also give support to our teachers in their efforts to further spread the gift of tai chi chuan in a world that needs the benefits that this art can provide.
A GREAT ART DESERVES GREAT SUPPORT
The Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Foundation has chosen the 2019 International Tai Chi Chuan Symposium as its major project, and in doing so, continues the tradition of passing on the art of tai chi chuan. The symposium will raise awareness of tai chi chuan in the general public and provide quality educational events for both beginning and advanced practitioners. During the last symposium in 2014, Yang Family Centers and Schools played a crucial role in the symposium's success. Many gave their time freely and planned fundraising events to help support the symposium. It was inspiring to see the successful result of working together. Help with fundraising is needed again in 2019. We sincerely thank our centers and schools who are currently planning fundraising events and hope that all will participate. Your help is needed and appreciated. Know that you are contributing to a large, special vision of a world in which people can experience health, longevity, and vibrant lives.
FUNDRAISING IDEAS
We are thankful for any help given. If your center or school would like to have a fundraising event, here are some possible ideas:
1) Seminars: Teach one or more seminars.
2) Private lessons: Let your students know that you are having a special fundraiser and ask if they would like to schedule some private lessons.
3) Business partners: Contact local businesses such as medical clinics, holistic practitioners, seniors centers or any business you think have customers or clients that could benefit from tai chi and ask if the business would make a donation in return for you providing their customers with an introductory tai chi seminar at their business to learn about tai chi. You may even gain some new students for your school!
4) Raffles and product sales: Sell a product or hold a raffle within your school and also in the larger public community. In 2014, one school raffled some NHL hockey tickets and raised over $1300. Selling or raffling something to the larger public community is also a great way to build awareness of your school in your community and help bring new students to your school. If you don't have any items to raffle, sometimes businesses are happy to provide you with them at no cost because they receive publicity for their business.
5) Company sponsors: If you know of any companies who may be interested in being a sponsor of the 2019 Symposium, please let Giuseppe Turturo (address below) know and he will send a letter with more information on corporate sponsorship.
6) More fundraising ideas can be found through an online search of "fundraising ideas".
Any questions about fundraising can be sent to Giuseppe Turturo:
giuseppe@yangfamilytaichi.com
Call for Abstracts
We invite the submission of abstracts to be considered for poster presentations at the 2019 International Tai Chi Chuan Symposium. The main theme of the scientific research program is the impact of tai chi chuan on human health. If you are involved in preclinical or clinical research on the effects of tai chi chuan on health and well-being, please consider the possibility of submitting an abstract.
Abstracts addressing the meeting theme are particularly encouraged, however submissions from other areas of research involving the practice of tai chi chuan of all styles or other related martial arts are also welcome. Posters will be displayed during the entire symposium and submitters whose abstracts have been accepted will be expected to attend the symposium and present their research. A few of the poster presentations will be selected for oral presentation.
Abstracts should include a title of 20 words or less, author information (including e-mail address, institution and country) and a text of 250 words or less written in English with no figures. Please send your abstract to Dr. Dan Shulz at: daniel.shulz@gmail.com by January 31, 2019.
Ranking Fees
Beginning January 1, 2019, there will be a $10 increase in ranking fees for all levels of ranking. Please contact our Ranking Department (ranking@yangfamilytaichi.com) if you would like more information.
Past Issues of Connections
Connections newsletter, including all past issues, is now posted on our website for easy viewing. We email the newsletter to all our members, however sometimes emails fail to reach some members. Our website will help let members (and also the public) access our newsletter.
Recent Journal Issue
The Winter 2018/2019 edition of our association's Journal has been published. It is available to members in the Members Only section of our website.
3rd World Tai Chi Chuan Cultural Festival
The 3rd World Tai Chi Chuan Cultural Festival was held in Sanya, China in September. Over 3000 people attended the event which is one of the largest events in Southern China. Master Yang Jun gave a presentation on the development of tai chi chuan in the West.
Conference in Handan, China
The Chinese Martial Arts Association invited Master Yang Jun to the 14th International Tai Chi Chuan Sports Conference in Handan in September. Master Yang performed a tai chi demonstration and also gave a speech on how tai chi is spread in the West compared to China. For example, in China a teacher is often chosen for their fame. In the West, a teacher is often chosen for the convenience of a nearby location. In the West, tai chi is rarely practiced outdoors in parks like in China. It's practiced indoors with instruction. This focus on more formal indoor school instruction as a business rather than learning through outdoor practice in parks makes it easier for tai chi instructors to earn a living teaching in the West.
The Yongnian Tai Chi Chuan Friendship Association presented Master Yang with a golden key. With this key, he will always be a special guest of Yongnian. (Yongnian is an urban district in the city of Handan, Hebei province.)
Seminar and University Presentation in Kunming, China
Master Yang Jun was invited to give a special seminar in Kunming for the Yunnan branch of the Chinese Martial Arts Association. The seminar took place in October and was organized for instructors across the whole province of Yunnan.
Master Yang also gave a presentation at Yunnan University on tai chi in the West.
10 Year Anniversary
In October, the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province celebrated its 10 year anniversary. Congratulations!
Master Yang Jun's Seminar Schedule
Seminars in Guangdon, China
In September, Master Yang Jun taught two hand form seminars in Guangdon province in the cities of Qingyuan and Zhongshan.
Seminar in Cambridge, UK
An eagerly awaited Hand form and Push Hands seminar with Master Yang Jun was held at the UK Cambridge Centre in early October. It was enjoyed by students whose experience ranged from one to more than thirty years of tai chi study. Master Yang Jun's ability to engage with, and inspire at all levels was very much apparent and appreciated, with students left feeling encouraged and eager to develop and deepen their tai chi knowledge and skills.
Instructor Seminar in Italy
From October 12-14 in San Gemini (Italy), we celebrated the tenth edition of what is now called "International Teacher Academy Seminar".
From 2017, Master Yang Jun has been giving greater importance to the theoretical aspects of tai chi chuan, adding a new level of understanding. This year, we deepened our theoretical knowledge while directly experiencing those teachings through the practice. We appreciate how Master Yang Jun engages with the advanced students, helping us to clarify our practice of tai chi chuan. We are very grateful to Master Yang Jun and to all people involved in the organization of these events, especially to our National Director, Claudio Mingarini (Yang Ya Ren).
Seminar in Kunming, China
In October, Master Yang Jun taught an advanced hand form seminar in Kunming.
Seminar in Linfen, China
Master Yang Jun taught a push hands seminar November 1-3 in Linfen, Shanxi province, China.
Seminar in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
The Yang Family Tai Chi Center in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil held a hand form seminar with Master Yang Jun from November 9-11.
Seminars in São Paulo, Brazil
Workshop at University of Geneva, Switzerland
The Confucius Institute of the University of Geneva organized a conference and workshop dedicated to tai chi chuan on December 1st and 2nd. Master Yang Jun presented a tai chi chuan workshop.
Michigan Yang Family Tai Chi Center
On October 13, the Michigan Yang Family Tai Chi Center joined tai chi groups from both Michigan and Canada for the 7th annual Great Lakes Taiji Performance Festival in Novi, MI. Director Han Hoong Wang taught a free workshop on the topic of tai chi fang song. Our team performed the saber and sword forms and section 2 of the Yang style 103 form. At the end of the festival, all the tai chi groups gathered to perform the 24 form together.
Tai Chi for Neurological Disorders
In October, Lloyd Kelly (association member from Louisville, KY) received news coverage on a local news site for his work teaching tai chi to patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, and other neurological disorders. The class is taught through the Norton Neuroscience Institute. READ MORE
There is also a short video that includes his tai chi students talking about their experiences learning tai chi. WATCH VIDEO
Kunming Yang Family Tai Chi Center
In October, the Yang Family Tai Chi Center in Kunming, China held a three day seminar open to public during national holiday. Seminar attendees came from many different areas of China.
Teacher Academy Events with Angela Soci
Angela Soci, Director of the Yang Family Tai Chi Center in São Paulo, Brazil taught hand form seminars for many Teacher Academy events across South America.
April 2018 - Montevideu, Uruguay
August 2018 - Piracicaba, Brazil
September 2018 - Mendoza, Argentina
October 2018 - Bogota, Colombia (Organized by the Center Dragon's Circle, a Yang Family Tai Chi School.)
October 2018 - Ilheus, Brazil. The seminar was held at the university. Angela gave two conferences about the health benefits of tai chi and a 2-day hand form seminar.
Seminar with Rubén Coirini in Buenos Aires - Argentina
On October 6-7, Instructor Rubén Coirini (Director of Wu De School of Tai Chi Chuan and disciple of Master Yang Jun), taught a seminar on the Essential Form in Bernal (Buenos Aires). The seminar was organized by Ren Yi Tai Chi School. Thank you to Rubén and every seminar participant. We hope that our school will hold many more events in the future.
Upcoming Sword and Push Hands Seminar with Jefferson Duarte
Date: March 23-24, 2019
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jefferson Iitako Duarte, (Academy Instructor and disciple of Master Yang Jun) will teach a sword and push hands seminars in Ren Yi Tai Chi School. Participants who reside more than 25 km away, will receive free transportation from the center of C.A.B.A. to the seminar site (both days). Please see contact information below if you are interested:
Fabiana Silvano : fabianasilvano@yangfamilytaichi.com or visit: www.renyi.com.ar
Journal Gem
"The Way of the Center: A Talk with Master Yang Jun" - by Edward Moore. Issue #31, 2012. Pages 7-9.
This journal issue is available in our Members Only area of our website.
Previous Issue
Did you miss the last issue of Connections? You can read it here. All back issues are now posted on our website.
Next Issue of Connections
Carolyn Fung, Editor
Connections is published in March, June, September, and December. We publish association news and school news (upcoming events, recent past events, awards, other news, etc.) but not general school advertisements.
The next issue of Connections will be published in March 2019. Please send any announcements to me at carolyn@yangfamilytaichi.com by February 15, 2019.
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